Alternatives to AstraZeneca vaccine for under 40s “could be considered” amid rise in blood clots 2

[Whichjab]

Just starting another thread as so much information still coming out. Interesting that Germany have just allowed AZ for all that want it.

Note, this is not an Anti-Vaccs thread. It is just a discussion about alternatives.

LetSophieGo I agree with you. It is perfectly reasonable to have concerns. I had covid last year and was ill for months and still have some symptoms. I would like to be vaccinated but the side effects of AZ including the rare clotting disorder put me off. I am in Scotland so I basically just have to turn up and see what I am offered. I am late 40s which is the age group fatalities seem to mainly be reported in. I suffer from migraines so a headache as described would not necessarily alert me to a clotting issue. I am also on my own with two children and know I could put off seeking medical attention as I don’t have anyone to look after them, which I did in the past when I had a thunderclap headache (I ended up in hospital two weeks later).

I keep going between thinking just have it and get it over with and then thinking what if something goes wrong, I won’t be able to get it out of my body.

@littlepeas how do you find out what they have. I can see the Ramada but it's 20 miles away. I have had a pharmacy pop up about 8 miles from me now. Wasn't there before.

When you read wall to wall coverage of new variants and surge testing in Bolton etc today worth keeping in mind that at least part of the motivation for this could be to drown out that while the UK continues to roll out AZ other countries are quietly ditching it. Norway being the latest. The main motivations, however, are to try to put the brakes on people's tendency to throw caution to the wind and to signal that there will be an element of wait and see in terms of monitoring the situation.

Infection rates in "variant of concern" current bogeyland India are starting to level off.

Balance in media reporting is lacking and I have every sympathy with anyone feeling undue pressure. Better to sit on your hands and get confident in your decision rather than feel coerced and worry or regret it later. Some of the pro vaccine adverts very much remind me of my teenage years and all the societal pressure just to have sex and get it over with so you could join the grown ups.

And just to amplify the most balanced reporting here is a good round up of the current state of play from Nick Triggle.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57073312

You'll need to click the link because picking out quotes would risk undermining the balance.

I do find it odd that during lockdown, many MNs were anti lockdown, and wanted to only lockdown the older generation, as they thought they were selfish expecting us to lockdown. They therefore didn't see Covid as a big theat. But now if people don't have one particular vaccine pushed on them, they are likely to die from Covid.

@littlepeas I'm midlands based too (notts) and have been offered very minimal options. I was ideally hoping to see one of our hospitals pop up as I know a few people who have gone there and they have been offered pfeizer. I'm nervous about having the AZ one as I'm 39 I'm sitting on the cuff of being under 40 and worried I will just get AZ do you think the smaller choice of place to go means they are sites with alternative vaccines?
Does anyone know if you can call and find out which one they are administering? 2 of my friends and a couple of colleagues have now had the AZ and the side effects made them feel awful for days. Also putting me off. I have an exam coming up in just over a week and do lot need to be wiped out due to side effects of covid but I understand waiting increases risk of catching it.

Chocachocaholic

As you're 39, it's very unlikely you will be offered AZ. The limited options are a good sign, you'd expect that to happen as you are now earmarked for one of the other vaccines.

You should go ahead and book. If you get to your appointment and they offer AZ (which is extremely unlikely) just say you're not comfortable taking it as it's not recommended for your age.

Icenii I think if I were likely to die from covid, I would have done so by now as I was very ill last year with it. Of course there is a chance of re-infection, but that does not equate to ‘likely to die from’

[quote Iceniii]@littlepeas how do you find out what they have. I can see the Ramada but it's 20 miles away. I have had a pharmacy pop up about 8 miles from me now. Wasn't there before.[/quote]
I obviously don't know for certain, but when I first logged in I got a huge long list with loads of little pharmacies and Stoneleigh, which dh had AZ at a few weeks ago. I thought it was a bit odd, so I refreshed the page and the new list was much shorter. I'm assuming that the second list was only p or m. My app is tomorrow morning, so can update then!

I live in Warwick and was offered the Ramada as nearest, then Millennium Point in Brum, The Artrix in Bromsgrove (where I'm going), a couple of sites in walsall, a couple in Wolverhampton, one in Cheltenham (which is a pharmacy), the Malvern Showground, the Kassam Stadium in Oxford, a pharmacy in Stroud, a couple of places in Nottingham and a couple in Milton Keynes. Oh and Stoke-on-Trent.

A whistle stop tour of the Midlands, basically!

All the little pharmacies in Coventry and Rugby that initially came up disappeared when I refreshed. Stoneleigh also disappeared.

@minniemomo

To those of you resisting the AZ, watch the bbc hospital programme shown last night. It features a 50 year old who received the test to book his jab whilst in icu, he didn't make it. Mild asthma but not sufficient to make group 6.

Waiting 2-3 weeks could be the difference between life and death, you have been offered a vaccine.

We have had AZ here including 2x 20 year old DD's who are on meds pushing them into group 6 (other two got Pfizer, one due to medical reasons, the other got leftover vaccine). Side effects from AZ made me feel crap for 2 days

Made the unfortunate mistake of reading that post just before I went to bed. Cue much tossing and turning. Thankfully I woke up with a clearer mind.

There were certain periods last year where my area had very high rates, if I somehow managed to avoid catching it then I think I can be reasonably safe for the next few weeks. I'm a rather anti-social person at the best of times so I have no desire to be mingling in pubs, restaurants and shopping centres.

I refuse to be rushed, bullied or cajoled into making a decision for my body that I'm not comfortable with.

So here in Ireland we seemed to be taking a cautious approach on AZ and J&J, which I was very happy about.

However in the last week or so the CMO and the head of the health service have been making comments about wanting more flexibility on age cohorts so that those vaccines don't go to waste. They have requested updated advice from NIAC (the regulator) and it's being reported today that the age limits are likely to be lowered, to 45 at least but maybe even as low as 35.

In Ireland, not only do we not have a choice of vaccine, we don't have any choice of date or location. You register on a portal and get a text telling you when and where to go. So the methods that people in the UK are using to maximise the chances of Pfizer or Moderna won't work here. It has also been made clear that anyone who refuses the vaccine offered to them goes to the back of the queue.

I am so angry about this. At a time when other countries are tightening restrictions on AZ, we're loosening them and pushing that vaccine (and J&J) on the very age group that are most at risk. All for the sake of convenience over safety. Bear in mind Pfizer still makes up the majority of our supply.

It's disgraceful.

If people are assuming a pharmacy can’t do Pfizer they are wrong. They are popping up because they have slots. They are disappearing because they have limited slots and are being booked.

More will be added next week and the week after.

I think everyone should bare in mind that both Moderna and Pfizer so far have made 35 billion £'s from the sale of their vaccines.
Call me cynical but It is very interesting that both the AZ and Johnson & Johnson are much cheaper - being around £3 for the vaccine and slightly more for the Johnson and are the two companies with ALL the negative press.
AZ are giving this vaccine without making a profit.
hmm..

Just something to consider.

I just asked my 38 year old friend to look at vaccine locations on the national booking site for her for next week ( I am 45 and have booked mine in the hope of getting pfeizer or moderna) and the same location came up for her, so fingers crossed! I am dreading getting someone who treats me like an idiot and also dreading having to leave without a vaccine. Had a nightmare about all this last night. It's really horrible.

@neveradullmoment99

I think everyone should bare in mind that both Moderna and Pfizer so far have made 35 billion £'s from the sale of their vaccines. Call me cynical but It is very interesting that both the AZ and Johnson & Johnson are much cheaper - being around £3 for the vaccine and slightly more for the Johnson and are the two companies with ALL the negative press. AZ are giving this vaccine without making a profit. hmm..

Just something to consider.

The cost of the vaccine really isn't having any effect on my weighing up whether I'm willing to risk AZ...

Call me cynical but It is very interesting that both the AZ and Johnson & Johnson are much cheaper - being around £3 for the vaccine and slightly more for the Johnson and are the two companies with ALL the negative press.

Now this is an actual conspiracy theory.

Do you think Pfizer and Moderna are having the same issues, but that health authorities around the world are all deliberately covering it up? Or that they're making up the AZ clots? Which is it?

@Blondiney

I'm so sick of the constant low level anxiety and it being the first thing I think of when I wake up. I've already booked and cancelled twice, all the while the threat of everything opening up looms.

I've just booked at my GP for the third time. Had the option for a Friday (this Friday!!!) appointment for the first time, usually the just offer weekends. I'm kidding myself it's a Pfizer day.

Sorry to quote myself

Just emailed the GP practice to check which vaccine they would be using tomorrow, fully expecting to have to cancel for the third time. They said Pfizer. Please keep everything crossed for me.

@Cherrycee

Call me cynical but It is very interesting that both the AZ and Johnson & Johnson are much cheaper - being around £3 for the vaccine and slightly more for the Johnson and are the two companies with ALL the negative press.

Now this is an actual conspiracy theory.

Do you think Pfizer and Moderna are having the same issues, but that health authorities around the world are all deliberately covering it up? Or that they're making up the AZ clots? Which is it?

Well if it's true, those more expensive ones really need to step up their game. They haven't convinced the government to let me have one of their ones yet. They must be slacking!

Indeed @ScarlettSunset - not doing a very good job of it, are they?

@Blondiney that's brilliant news, delighted for you.

@Blondiney so pleased to you. I have mine this afternoon which I'm sure will be AZ but think I'm resigned to it

Although I really want to see this weeks MHRA data before I go - anyone know what time they post it?

I think it's usually around lunchtime Chocolategirl19791 so hopefully not too much longer.

@cherrycee I know this last year has been very hard for you and you would have every right to be angry at anyone questioning a vaccine. But instead, here you are supporting those wanting to ask questions and know the facts. I think you're inspirational and I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you ❤️

@MiniMaxi

Thank you for that link, *@IndigoC*!

@MrsFezziwig that is my understanding too: every death that occurred after vaccination is listed there. By no means does it suggest that every death was caused by vaccination.

Thanks @MiniMaxi for responding to my query. Quite irresponsible in that case for people to be bandying numbers of deaths about without checking their facts.

@FFMutha

I just asked my 38 year old friend to look at vaccine locations on the national booking site for her for next week ( I am 45 and have booked mine in the hope of getting pfeizer or moderna) and the same location came up for her, so fingers crossed! I am dreading getting someone who treats me like an idiot and also dreading having to leave without a vaccine. Had a nightmare about all this last night. It's really horrible.

I went for my vaccine with my 39 year old dh (I'm 40). He was down for Pfizer and me AZ. They told me to come back next week as I would get Pfizer then. Hoping this turns out to be the case, or I'll be leaving without again.