AZ or Pfizer for 2nd dose (which would you choose?)

[QuentininQuarantino]

I’m not in the UK. I’m early 30s, no health issues and have had one dose of AZ with no problems at all, very grateful.

Since then, my country has decided not to give it to younger people and has decided on giving Pfizer as the second dose. You can choose AZ but you have to sign an informed consent form.

I can’t find much data about mixing vaccines so my gut feeling would be AZ but I don’t like the idea of signing an informed consent form! Would a mixed vaccine be acceptable for travel?

I’m aware I’m in a very lucky position to have had a vaccine so early for my age and obviously wouldn’t think twice about which vaccine if I wasn’t given a choice, but I’m really bad at making decisions and need to choose, so... which would you choose?

What exactly does signing an informed consent form mean in your location?
I am in Ireland and have had my first AZ vaccine, the day before they stopped it for people my age!
I had to sign a consent form confirming I'd read the associated literature containing information about possible side effects including blood clots.
You have to sign consent forms for all vaccines here though so having a different vaccine would not have changed that part.
Having signed the form only makes it more difficult for me/my family to sue in the event of catastrophic side effects.
If I had side effects needing hospital treatment I would receive it.

@QuentininQuarantino the trial I read about was for over 50's too. Do you know the age group for the trial they did in your country?

I think the bottom line is you'll probably be fine if you had AZ or Pfizer as your second but there's just more data to confirm that for the AZ. You're also more confused because you have a choice now and if you were in the U.K you wouldn't have and it would have been an easier decision. Don't worry about the form too much, we'd have sign 9 million forms by now here for the second dose if we had to but maybe they're just being extra. I do understand that being off putting but think of it like when you sign a form before a c section. They have to do these things sometimes medically.

signed 9 million forms**

After chatting with colleagues today I’m going to go with Pfizer because it seems the form you have to sign is actually rejecting the dose offered and then you have to wait until there is availability of AZ - it isn’t a case of choosing on the day. I’d understood it differently. There isn’t enough AZ to vaccinate everyone’s second doses right now at the moment anyway so I’d risk the gap getting too wide. I’d rather have a timely second dose of a different type than an unknown wait until the second one. I’m not hugely worried about side effects as I’m pleased to be getting vaccinated so early on in our rollout. Thank you for all your input!

@M0rT I think it just means you sign to refuse the Pfizer and you understand that there are rare reports of thrombosis with the alternative (AZ). The form is on various news sites and that’s all it says. You’d definitely get treatment, and some parts of the country are overriding the govt and giving AZ anyway. I got my dose around the same time as you I imagine but most other EU countries are happy to give a second dose, mines just being funny!

Go for it OP!
Personally I'd be finding out when I'd be likely to receive a 2nd AZ and how long I'd have to wait.
I'd not fancy following an unknown route mixing to he vaccines.
I wasn't skipping for joy on the way for my 2nd AZ but i'd have been more worried mixing.

As it stands in the UK at the moment, you can't mix them. Your second dose has to be the same as the first.

Yes @beguilingeyes it’s why my first line started with “I’m not in the uk!”

Dh had AZ for 1st vaccine and then had a stroke. GP has offered him Pfizer for 2nd dose - we're in the UK.