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Original poster

Has anybody managed to get Pfizer instead of astra zeneca?

429 replies

Crovine · 29/04/2021 19:15

If so, please share strategies.

I have a number of issues including sibling medical history that have led me to not want astra zeneca. None of these are on the list of official reasons to avoid it. But I don't want it. I went to my vaccination appointment today and explained this. They said I could have astra zeneca and that it was safe. They said they would not offer Pfizer (which people six feet away were having) because all the doses were allocated. I was advised to get a letter from my GP. However it was my GP who told me to go to the appointment and discuss at the centre. So I left without being vaccinated.

It seems like an impasse.

Has anybody managed to find a way through this?

OP posts:
Totalbeach · 29/04/2021 22:57

Your body, your choice is a fine principle. The OP has the choice not to take the vaccine or take it. At the moment there are no other choices. It would be the decent thing not to waste appointments.

There are other choices though. It’s silly to pretend there aren’t. Plenty of people are getting other vaccines so why not the OP?

Mammyloveswine · 29/04/2021 22:58

Ffs take the jab offered and be bloody grateful!!

I have a history of blood clots yet still had the Astra Zeneca...

What are your reasons for not taking it?

worriedatthemoment · 29/04/2021 22:58

@Herein98 I think people understand not wanting one particular one but demanding another one or booking multiple appts and then on the day turning it down isn't right either.
At moment stocks are still low , this may change bit not likely for a few months
My dh has had to wait several weeks to get an appt despite being eligible and would be annoying if the reason he has to wait is because multiple people are booking then turning it down last minute, fine to investigate and see if you can figure where is giving the alternative or even calling gp again and explaining what happened see uf they can help

worriedatthemoment · 29/04/2021 22:59

@Totalbeach because you don't have a choice yet its pot luck at the moment

worriedatthemoment · 29/04/2021 23:00

@Totalbeach I am bot sure that is true ??

caringcarer · 29/04/2021 23:00

I think that there is very little Pfizer left in UK, and what little there is has to be kept for second doses. Where I live for first does in February if you went in morning you tended to get Pfizer and if you went in afternoon you got AZ.

Totalbeach · 29/04/2021 23:01

@worriedatthemoment It is.

ThatOtherPoster · 29/04/2021 23:03

OP, this says Moderna is available in Sheffield.

I’d ring the booking line and get an appointment. IME Moderna is being offered in non-medical type venues (football stadiums, etc) because it can be kept in normal fridges. AZ has to be kept much cooler. (I think!)

Leafyhouse · 29/04/2021 23:04

OP, you could always fly to the UAE and get it done privately at a clinic? I believe they have a package for £10k that includes a stay in a nice hotel. Grin

Busybee5000 · 29/04/2021 23:05

@Crovine

I really don’t think you get to choose.

Why the actual fuck not though?

Because if everybody got to then the admin issues would be immense! Pfizer is mostly used in NHS settings due to storage reasons. Take what you’re offered or wait until you can guarantee what you’d like but I don’t think anyone can expect to be in that position at the moment, most are just glad to be getting anything . Moderna is coming on stream at vaccination centres so maybe wait for that.
worriedatthemoment · 29/04/2021 23:05

@ThatOtherPoster pretty sure az is kept in a fridge pfizer is hard one to store

murbblurb · 29/04/2021 23:06

Don't fucking waste appointments. You aren't so special so either turn up and take what is going or stay the fuck out of the way.

So entitled.

worriedatthemoment · 29/04/2021 23:06

@Totalbeach do you have the data to back that up , not one single case after any other jab ?

VaccineEnvy · 29/04/2021 23:07

@Crovine

If so, please share strategies.

I have a number of issues including sibling medical history that have led me to not want astra zeneca. None of these are on the list of official reasons to avoid it. But I don't want it. I went to my vaccination appointment today and explained this. They said I could have astra zeneca and that it was safe. They said they would not offer Pfizer (which people six feet away were having) because all the doses were allocated. I was advised to get a letter from my GP. However it was my GP who told me to go to the appointment and discuss at the centre. So I left without being vaccinated.

It seems like an impasse.

Has anybody managed to find a way through this?

I am completely with you on this. I'm a 39 year old woman who does not want the AZ vaccine, but does want to be vaccinated. I kept hearing that they are deciding whether to change the advice to say under 40s shouldn't have the AZ. If you work out a way to get the Pfizer or moderne, please let me know!

My friend had the AZ... they helpfully sent her away with advice on what to do if her vision blurred or she got a persistent headache afterwards 😬

MrsFezziwig · 29/04/2021 23:08

@Crovine

I'm not getting married in July. Confused I have seven factors in my clinical/medicine/sibling medical history that put me at increased risk of blood clots. Marginal each one, but all present. I don't want astra zeneca for that reason.
Would those factors put you at increased risk of blood clots from Covid?
ThatOtherPoster · 29/04/2021 23:08

And this says Moderna was being given at the Askham Bar in York.

ThatOtherPoster · 29/04/2021 23:10

@worriedatthemoment - thanks! I’ve read too much and it’s all jumbled up in my brain now. 😆

converseandjeans · 29/04/2021 23:10

I had Pfizer this week. Bristol. Would have had whatever was going though as I just wanted the vaccine. It was a mass vaccination centre rather than a GP surgery.

ThatOtherPoster · 29/04/2021 23:11

Yes, Askham Bar in York is doing Modena.

Ring 119 and book. Good luck.

TruelyWonder · 29/04/2021 23:12

@Totalbeach

Your body, your choice is a fine principle. The OP has the choice not to take the vaccine or take it. At the moment there are no other choices. It would be the decent thing not to waste appointments.

There are other choices though. It’s silly to pretend there aren’t. Plenty of people are getting other vaccines so why not the OP?

You really can't see that other people have greater need?
partyatthepalace · 29/04/2021 23:16

I don’t think there are any new Pfizer’s coming for a while, the batches being administered now are 2nd doses, which is why you can’t have them.

It sounds like you’ve had a bad time with your brother OP, but is this colouring your judgement of your risk factors for AZ? I ask because your GP clearly doesn’t think it’s an issue. You also have to remember that Pfizer is based on newer science than AZ so who knows what small risk factors may emerge - but the point is all these risk factors are tiny and we accept them quite happily with other meds.

Anyway, I think you will struggle to buck the system right now. I think you should just take the AZ, but if you really don’t want to I guess things might change in autumn - but I think small issues will keep emerging with all of them.

mamababy1955555 · 29/04/2021 23:17

Both my parents and my husband have all had second doses of AZ in the past week. All three said there were new screening questions designed to identify people at higher risk of clotting problems. So it's possible you could be identified as needing Pfizer rather than AZ during this screening process?

mamababy1955555 · 29/04/2021 23:18

The problems were taking blood thinning meds and a history of some conditions, eg low platelets (can't remember the others).

MrsFezziwig · 29/04/2021 23:24

@Crovine

  1. You can’t immediately book again as the system takes a short while to reset after a failed appointment
  2. I presume that you actually want to have “not AstraZeneca” rather than Pfizer. There is enough information on these boards to work out where you would have a pretty good chance of getting Moderna, so I would advise not wasting your time (and that of others) by booking appointments that you don’t intend to use, and instead doing a bit of searching on here to find the information you need. You may, however, have to be prepared to travel quite a distance.
PoTheDog · 29/04/2021 23:25

@Crovine

I'm not getting married in July. Confused I have seven factors in my clinical/medicine/sibling medical history that put me at increased risk of blood clots. Marginal each one, but all present. I don't want astra zeneca for that reason.
You do know that there is a risk of clots with Pfizer too? In fact, there is some evidence out there that the risk could be the same for each. And your risk of getting clots is actually 10 times higher if you catch covid than from any of the vaccines.

This is why experienced medical professionals deal with this stuff, and not Joe public.

If you choose not to get vaccinated, that's your choice. But please don't waste another appointment and hold up those who really want their's.

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