Anyone had vaccination recently in central London and had Pfizer?

[Jarstastic]

I've just logged into the central NHS vaccination website and can book now! (I couldn't when I looked earlier today).

Am I right that if you book this way it's all at hubs and they only have Astra Zeneca? Is there any more chance of getting Pfizer at any place? (or Moderna, which like Pfizer needs special refrigeration)

I'm also getting options of Guys and St Thomas's as options but are these just extra hubs rather than the hospital itself, (I remember Boris Johnson went to the latter and had Astra Zeneca).

Thank you!

You wont know until you get there. It changes even from one person to the next in the same queue.

Not true that the hubs all have AZ, but there's no way of knowing until you get there. I work at a hub & it was Pfizer last week but that was only for second doses.

Where I am it wouldn't vary in the same queue, that would be confusing for the vaccinators & result in people getting the wrong vaccine or dose or information etc.

Whittington Hospital had Pfizer for second doses last week

I had Pfizer at St George's in late February - I got the impression that's all they were giving out as my invitation text specified that it would be Pfizer.

I'm getting a first dose Pfizer in london this weekend but I had to get my GP to specifically request it and they had to give a good reason as NHS want to discourage "vaccine shopping" apparently

Best to go to a hospital-based vaccine centre (rather than a pharmacy) if you want chance of not getting AZ because they have the freezers needed for Pfizer storage etc

That’s what I thought too when it was my mum’s turn a few weeks ago. She went to St Mary’s in Paddington but got the AZ.

Centres don’t know which vaccine they’re going to get until the day, so there’s no way of knowing which one is where.

I think it will change slightly if the under 30s aren't to have AZ, they will have to plan more precisely (plus having the correct one available for 2nd doses).

I think currently a lot of Pfizer is being used specifically for second doses.DH had it yesterday at uclh. I was under the impression they were trying to give AZ for first doses overall now as they will have to use the pfizer and moderna stocks in the younger age groups where AZ isn't recommended.

St George's has done both Pfizer and AZ, as has UCLH. One friend had Pfizer at a central London GP, the other had Pfizer at Guy's. Given Boris Johnson had AZ at Guy's, it's obviously pretty variable! The hub I volunteer at only has AZ because we're a temporary set up and no freezers.

I work on the Guy's and St Thomas' vaccination programme. They are hospital hubs, although they are actually in marquees just beside the main hospital buildings.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

You wont know until you get there. It changes even from one person to the next in the same queue.

Not true for us at Guy's and St Thomas'. That would cause massive issues regarding safety because vaccinators maybe get confused on dosing if they switched for every patient.

DM due to have her second Pfizer at Princess Royal near Bromley next week. And my Dad the AZ at a nearby hub the same day.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. So kind of you,

I’ve booked for Guys next week maybe I may get Pfizer or Moderna seems chances are not but seems more of a chance there than Science museum etc

@Jarstastic

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. So kind of you,

I’ve booked for Guys next week maybe I may get Pfizer or Moderna seems chances are not but seems more of a chance there than Science museum etc

It would be great if you can report back so for those of us in the next cohorts can also benefit

Does anyone know the 21 sites offering Moderna? Given it’s more effective against SA variant I wondered if they would start rolling it out in Wandsworth/Lambeth?

My friend vaccinated at the science museum recently and she's done both AZ & Pfizer there so there really is no point in trying to second guess what you will get.

Update is I went to the Science Museum and it was Astra Zeneca. I mentioned TTC but they only consulted the senior nurse who said it was fine. (I think the vaccinators were not nurses) There were signs saying if you’d had a first jab of Pfizer you couldn’t have your second jab here, only Astra Zeneca.

DH been to business design centre and had Moderna. I’m a tad miffed

@Jarstastic

Update is I went to the Science Museum and it was Astra Zeneca. I mentioned TTC but they only consulted the senior nurse who said it was fine. (I think the vaccinators were not nurses) There were signs saying if you’d had a first jab of Pfizer you couldn’t have your second jab here, only Astra Zeneca.

How old are you if you don't mind me asking? As you mentioned TTC I wondered this meant they'd moved onto early 40s, late 30s.

Where I live the temporary MVC is defined as a hospital on Google maps. They only do pfizer. I didn't know until I got there that was the case.

@Notavegan

Where I live the temporary MVC is defined as a hospital on Google maps. They only do pfizer. I didn't know until I got there that was the case.

Is that in London?

@1990s no they haven’t moved down yet, I’m an old woman TTC

I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved through the current group quickly. They are more likely to book online at the hubs, more mobile etc than previous age groups. And the centres at least at the times we went were running below capacity. I hope people from outside London will come in, there are next day appointments available all over.

Thanks Jar fingers crossed they keep moving through the groups at pace.