What happens if AZ is paused and you are due your second dose?

[Florelei]

Hi, I’m not trying to be a doom monger but there seems to be a lot in the news about AZ and it potentially being paused whilst things are investigated.

I’ve had my first dose and am due my second in a few weeks. What happens if due to any pause I miss my appointment? Can I have another type of jab?

I suppose nobody knows but I’m starting to worry now. I just really want my second jab.

I hope they don’t succumb to pressure to pause it

Interested to read someone brought a vaccination home from work? Do you still get the NHS patient record update?

I’m 53 and due my second jab in early May. I will have it. I figure if it’s not my time, then I’ll be fine. (Please don’t let it be my time!)

@IDSNeighbour they are letting people working in the vaccination clinics take home left over doses?! Wtf, surely that would be opening them up to all sorts of trouble That's massively irresponsible!

I agree, @AnyFucker.
We've come so far, it would be catastrophic to lose momentum on first jabs or stop second jabs without really compelling evidence

I'm in this group. Under 50 and due my second AZ jab next month.

I'll be fucked off if I can't have second dose and have to start the vaccination process from scratch again. Mostly because of passports if I'm selfishly honest.

@Eaumyword if they did that they are breaking the chain of control and would be fired. And potentially struck off. The vaccine has to be signed for during each transfer and kept at the correct temperature. This would be a v serious breach of protocol (I am a volunteer vaccinator and rules were drilled into us !).

There will be guidance and a change in policy regarding second jabs if it's deemed necessary, but imo I doubt that will be the case. I'd wait and see, if it's left to personal choice id go for it. I have had both doses and no regrets.

@AcornAutumn

I'm sure they'll offer you a different vax

I had the first AZ and I'm kicking myself. No more covid vaccine for me.

If you’re fit and well and on it haven’t had a blood clot why are you kicking yourself? You weren’t the one person in 600,000 who suffered the side effect.

If I’m allowed, I’m definitely having it. I don’t have any concerns particularly. I’m sure most of us take medication regularly which has higher risks.

There are studies going on about mixing jabs, some of that will probably happen inevitably if people move house for example between jabs depending on what’s going on in different areas.

A left over AZ jab my cousin brought home from work last night

What?

Being selfish I know, but I'm due to have my second vaccine next week so really hoping it's not delayed as I'll be over 12 weeks and I guess will have less protection.

Thanks @mumsneedwine for your volunteering efforts, you've all been amazing.
Bit at anyone bringing vaccinations home and I've got to admit, I wouldn't have an 'under the counter' one just in case it hadn't been stored properly etc. Plus, if they do go for Covid passports, surely they would use the NHS patient record as proof.
I am due my 2nd AZ jab end of May and will definitely have it unless anything really serious happens between now and then.
Like a PP, Being nearly 50 and chubby, with autoimmune conditions and working in a school with little ones, the risk of Covid is far greater.
So, I also think I would be prepared to mix and match vaccines if they had to go down that route.

I’m 51, CEV and due my second before the end of this month, as is my 20 year old CEV son. It’s 9 weeks since we had our first vaccinations.

I’m so worried in case they’re paused, either for all or for a younger age group. The blood clot risk is minuscule so that doesn’t concern me but it’d push us past 12 weeks between doses, our hub have only started second vaccinations for group 1 this week so there’s no time to be flexible. What’d happen then? Start all over again?

*miniscule

Statistically you are more likely to get struck by lightening than get a blood clot after the vaccine.

This just isn’t true AT ALL. It may well be a small risk but stop making up shit.

Oh, idk. I'd be amazed if she did anything wrong. She's very senior. They have been working very hard not to waste the doses.

OP I'm in the same boat, due my second AZ towards the end of May. I just really want to have it and am also unworried about risks.

I’ve had one and am about 12 days in. It’s been a horrible 12 days though as Canada paused it right after I had my jab. I don’t think my mental health can cope with the second jab even if it’s allowed for someone like me in their mid 30s. I will see when the time comes but right now I just want to walk away from this whole business.

I certainly won’t be involved in the experimental mixing of vaccines.

I feel my trust in ‘the science’ has been horribly shaken. If they didn’t know this, what else don’t they know? What will emerge in 5 years? I know I sound like an anti vaxxer now but am fully vaccinated including flu (and this jab!) until now.

@Boringlynormal 😂😂🥰 nice rational well thought out response. I think you'll find I posted the stats. 1 in 700,000 for blood clot, 1 in 500,000 for lightening. And about 1 in 10,000 for contraceptive pill.

If it is paused and you are due your vaccination, I imagine you will have an alternative and then 12 weeks later the second dose of the alternative you had. Whilst there is promising talk of a combination of AZ and Pfizer, I think it’s still too early for that to be given as standard.

I have a horrible feeling all this vaccine negatively is going to result in a lower vaccine uptake which will mean longer restrictions and possibly another lockdown later in the year.

mumneedswine still not sure if that lightning is an average, worldwide risk or a UK one but happy to take your word for it as it's reassuring!

@IDSNeighbour

I let myself get peer pressured into having a left over AZ jab my cousin brought home from work last night and am massively regretting it

If your cousin really did do this s/he needs to be fired.

I had my 2nd jab yesterday evening. The news was full of this as I drove down the motorway to the clinic. It didn't worry me as I am fully aware that my drive to the hospital is far riskier than having the jab.

People need to understand risk and statistics.

@mumsneedwine thanks for those. I'll rethink the second AZ dose if there comes a point where Chris Whitty thinks they are unsafe, on the current data I hope it's unlikely to happen and I just really hope we don't pause a successful programme which seems to be working.