Any way to request Pfizer over AZ? Any doctors or scientists out there?

[PixieCake]

Grateful for any advice.

I have an appointment for my vaccine tomorrow. I have called the clinic who have confirmed it will be the AZ jab.

I am due to be emigrating this summer to a country where only Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are licensed and recognised.

I might not get my second dose before I leave the country, which would leave me in a complicated position of crossing 2 healthcare systems and being partially vaccinated by a vaccine that they don't recognise, plus not being eligible for a vaccine passport in my new country when they are introduced.

I know you can't request your brand, but I can change my vaccination site. Is there any way of finding out if any sites are still giving Pfizer to first dose patients?

Or should I hold out in hope of getting Moderna? I have been reading that Moderna is expected to hit the UK by April, although obviously there is still no guarantee I would get it.

Finally, if I go ahead and get the AZ first dose and then emigrate, can I switch to another brand for my second dose, or will that muck up the immunity?

Why not wait till you emigrate and have whichever vaccine they use?

You’re better off cancelling the appointment and waiting til you get to that country.

Thank you. I'm just feeling like I'm lucky to be able to get any vaccine, and it may protect myself, my family and others for the 3 months or so before we move.

Also having at least one dose of AZ may reduce my chances of contracting covid when we travel, and the dreaded situation of testing positive in quarantine and being separated from my children.

I don't think you can find out which venue has the Pfizer vaccine for 1st dose. I think they're restricting it to ensure there's enough for 2nd doses.

Out of curiosity, what is a vaccine passport?

Get whatever you're offered here, then start again in the new place.

Thank you.

Just trying to work out if there any ways to try to secure a Pfizer one (eg back in Jan when GPs were allowed to give them out to standby patients to avoid wastage from no-shows).

A vaccine passport is essentially a green lane for allowing people to attend events or venues, or best being subjected to less stringent testing/monitoring requirements based on their vaccination status. All theoretical at this early stage, I'm just looking ahead.

@VanGoghsDog

Get whatever you're offered here, then start again in the new place.

So would that work medically/safely?

I could get AZ here, to give me some cover initially, and then start again and get 2 doses of a different brand overseas later in the year?

I have an appointment for my vaccine tomorrow

Amazing! Lucky you!!

Most of the world would love to be in your shoes.

@Iflyaway

I have an appointment for my vaccine tomorrow

Amazing! Lucky you!!

Most of the world would love to be in your shoes.

Yes and I am very thankful and don't want to turn it down for being the 'wrong' brand. But having the 'right' brand (ie recognised for my international move) would make things so much smoother when I am already drowning in a sea of logistical problems to do with relocating during a pandemic that are beyond the scope of this post

Take the AZ then start again when you move....sorted

Ps.... you will struggle to get Pfizer now....they are now reserved for 2nd jabs....I am due my 2nd Pfizer in April and have been contacted to say I will have to delay it a week ( from 20 weeks to 11 weeks) as they already know they won’t have any on that particular day

A vaccine passport is essentially a green lane for allowing people to attend events or venues, or best being subjected to less stringent testing/monitoring requirements based on their vaccination status

Thank you for explaining.
It's likely you'd have your 2nd dose within the 3 months before you emigrate. Even if AZ isn't currently being used in that country, I'm fairly sure they'd accept you've been 'protected '

10 weeks to 11 weeks

You will get your 2nd dose of AZ 11 weeks ish after.... Will you still be here?

Up until recently, your best chance of getting Pfizer was to book into a hospital hub if there's one anywhere near you. But given that there's very little around at the moment, that may well not work.

I was trying to get it because when things open up again, I'll be going to a country in the South of Africa, where the SA variant is the main one. It made sense to try to get the vaccine that's more effective against it. But there was no way to find out, and the nearest hospital site didn't have any appointments for 10 days, whereas I could go to a local hub next day. I decided that sod's law would have me picking up the virus in the intervening ten days! So went for the AV the next day.

As above my understanding was your best shot was big hospitals. But it is quite limited at the moment, I believe.

Maybe share which country you’re going to? AZ has been licenced in 80+ countries now so perhaps it’s only a matter of time?

As you say Moderna is coming in April but I think in fairly limited numbers at first, building over the weeks.

If I were in your shoes, I would call your GP’s reception, be effusively polite and friendly, and ask if they know if there is any Pfizer for first doses as the moment in your area, or if Moderna will start soon. You could also try the CCG reception.

There are trials on-going about mixing the vaccinations in the future so in regards mucking up your immunity, I'd think that is unlikely.

Also due to it mutating, there will probably be a yearly jab anyway, like the current Flu one.

Get whichever vaccine you are offered. If you need new vaccines then get that when you go to new country. As PP have said some trials are looking at mixed vaccination regimes, and some HCP I know were on the AZ trial and then reinoculated with Pfizer earlier this year. there isn’t a scientific reason not to IMO.

Chances are you will get your second dose before you go, particularly if you can explain this need.

However there is no scientific reason why doses can’t be mixed, and trials have started to look at this and see if it even confers better protection. In three months when you move this knowledge may have progressed anyway.

Most protection comes from the first dose and you have 12 weeks until you move. I think your best option is to take any jab asap to maximise the chance of getting your second dose here.

I think your chances of getting Pfizer in the UK at the moment are very slim. As a PP said, they’re being reserved for second jabs for those that had the first at the start of the year. I don’t think waiting for moderna would solve your problem because there is no guarantee even if approved that it would reach your area in time (allowing for two to three weeks after the jab for antibodies to develop).

Your options (imho) are to take the AZ and start afresh in your destination or wait until you get there and book in ASAP. Personally I would choose the former for a level of any protection at all.

Pfizer is only being used as second doses currently, my vaccine hub had it and they explained. Moderna is meant to be coming on stream soon. Take what you are offered, we are all likely to be needing a top up anyway