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Original poster

Are wealthy areas prioritised for Pfizer and poorer areas given AZ?

130 replies

BigCoat · 07/06/2021 10:27

I'm talking about the 40 plus group.

I live in between an affluent and a disadvantaged town.
The affluent area has always received the Pfizer vaccine at its vaccine centre and the other area has always received AZ. I have had both AZ doses.

I have a relative who lives in a different affluent area in another part of the country. She's had Pfizer and seemed surprised we received AZ.

I would like to hear how allocations are decided. Is it a post code lottery or are there those of you in well to do areas only offered AZ and vice versa?

OP posts:
osbertthesyrianhamster · 07/06/2021 12:28

Friend lives in an extremely wealthy part of London. She's in her 50s and got AZ. Her spouse is in his 70s and got Pfizer but he also went in one of the first groups to be vaccinated as over 70 with health conditions.

Another friend in her late 60s in a deprived area of Glasgow. She got Pfizer, also in first group of people being vaccinated due to health conditions.

TheDogsMother · 07/06/2021 12:31

Neighbours were sent to one vaccination centre and got Pfizer, we were sent to another and got AZ. It's really down to storage facilities and whatever they've been supplied with as I understand it.

CantEnjoySummer · 07/06/2021 12:38

@BigCoat

Obviously they are using a mixture now with the under 40s, but back when it was mainly over 40s (and the potential risk of AZ to under 40s was unknown and other vaccines not yet approved) it was one type of vaccine per centre.
Wasn't in my area.

Some days it's AZ, some days it's Pfizer.

My mum got Pfizer in January. Dad AZ in February.

Myself Pfizer in March.

From talking to friends AZ seems more common but it's quite a mix.

JanuaryJonez · 07/06/2021 12:42

I'm in Brighton and my parents and a friend with UHI got Pzizer, but us and all my friends got AZ.

JanuaryJonez · 07/06/2021 12:43

I summised that Pfizer was used mainly for more vulnerable people.

Original poster
BigCoat · 07/06/2021 12:45

Lots of different set ups then. It's helpful to have the bigger picture.

OP posts:
NotBot · 07/06/2021 12:49

We have centres in our area only doing specific vaccines due to the facilities. The large, evangelical church building gets Pfizer as it was the first centre set up back in Jan when that’s all that was available. The local stadium until recently only did AZ as they saw no need to get the freezers needed for Pfizer in two large vaccination centres. In our town, it’s the opposite to your scenario. The local stadium isn’t in a great immediate area but the population it surrounds is affluent. The church is in a really poor part of town.

At the end of the day, you travel for vaccines. I live in an affluent area & travelled to the church for Pfizer (am under 40). I didn’t matter where it was located, I could have gone to a different town if I wanted, it allowed me to book various!

SpiesRUs · 07/06/2021 13:11

No

I live in the same village as my parents and sister.

I got the Pfizer as did my parents.

Partner (50s) and son (20s) got the AZ.

Sister and brother in law (40s) got the Moderna.

RaspberryCoulis · 07/06/2021 13:23

@diddlediddledump

I live in a very affluent area and was invited to receive the Pfizer. Normally you wouldn't know what your getting until the day you walk in, is this a thing now where they invite you and let you know what you will be getting?
I didn't know what I was getting until I sat down! Then the nurse said "it's Pfizer we're using today".

OP is talking mince anyway, I had Pfizer in the health centre in Drumchapel which isn't top of the list of affluent areas in Glasgow. Also, lots of people from nearby more affluent areas go to the less affluent areas for their vaccination.

jellybeansforbreakfast · 07/06/2021 13:41

@BigCoat

Thanks. I just can't understand why some centres consistently got one type of vaccine for the over 40s, with no variation.
You are seeing logistics and assuming some sociological cause/bias. There won't be one, it will be down to the logistics of getting vaccines round the country.
SurreyMumOfOne · 07/06/2021 13:44

@BigCoat

Obviously they are using a mixture now with the under 40s, but back when it was mainly over 40s (and the potential risk of AZ to under 40s was unknown and other vaccines not yet approved) it was one type of vaccine per centre.
Not round here it wasn't, AZ for the 40+ first doses and Pfizer for the second doses.

Above average socio demographics.

SurreyMumOfOne · 07/06/2021 13:46

Sorry, to clarify, NOT mixing doses! Just the centres having both of the same day for different recipients.

YerWanIsGettinNotions · 07/06/2021 13:49

@EL8888

Errr no. It’s decided by the faculties at the site as Pfizer is more complicated to store. Nothing to with affluence, it’s purely a medication storage issue

Yes, this. I got Pfizer as I travelled to a local hospital to have it. I also had invitations for local centres (church halls) etc and I doubt it would have been the same one I got there, purely because Pfizer needs to be stored below a certain temp before use and the logistics mean it simply can't be disseminated as easily.

There are currently four adults in my household and two of us got AZ (locally) and two of us got Pfizer at the hospital- but only because the hospital vaccine was the first one we were offered. (I was literally in the queue at the hospital for the vaccination when I got the text invite for the local jab.)

PotassiumChloride · 07/06/2021 14:09

My parents live in one of the poorest towns in the North of England and are firmly working class - they had Pfizer, as did my grandmother.

My in-laws live in an affluent area of the North West and are pretty well off - they had AZ.

crosstalk · 07/06/2021 14:41

OP I really don't know where you're coming from with your original post. Can you explain? Do you think it's a plot to kill the poor?

All the early roll outs here were AZ - mixed county very rich, very poor, most in between. So 60-90s and most 40-50s were AZ, mostly non hospital vaccine centres. DCs aged 30s have just had Pfizer at various centres so I guess the requisite freezers for Pfizer have been brought in. .

murbblurb · 07/06/2021 14:42

No. Conspiracy theories are for dickheads. Don't be a dickhead.

WuhanClanAintNothingToFuckWith · 07/06/2021 15:09

I think it’s more attempts at stirring division when we need a united front - rich/poor, north/south, young/old, lockdown/anti-lockdown, Lab/Tory, brexit/remain, vax/no vax, zero covid, etc etc

Needs shooting down we’re fighting an artificial virus pandemic that’s destroyed us ffs

MarcelineMissouri · 07/06/2021 15:24

Yes 100%. The government is hoping loads of poor people will die of blood clots Hmm

Seriously, OX/AZ remains, despite what some people will try and tell you, a highly effective and safe vaccine, it’s just had really strong competition. So even if for some reason they were dividing it up in odd ways it would be fine because we’re all getting a good vaccine! (Yes I’ve had the Oxford jab)

x2boys · 07/06/2021 15:27

No I live in Bolton in the post code that' had the highest numbers in the country a couple of weeks ago,it is far from affluent,i got the Pfizer in February as did DH ( both group six) ,and they were offering it on the vaccine bus I believe .

WeeFae · 07/06/2021 15:33

Our local large hub gives Pfizer as it has the storage facilities for it. The local GP surgeries are giving AZ as that is easier for them. Nothing to do with postcode lotteries or poorer people.

shinynewapple21 · 07/06/2021 15:39

I had mine done at a regional hub where they where vaccinating all health and social care workers . We all had Pfizer . People I know who have had the jab through their GP or local clinic have all had AZ. I wouldn't consider either area to be particularly affluent or poor.

Legwarmers · 07/06/2021 15:42

Before reading this thread I would have agreed with you OP as I thought the same.
My poor area are directed to the local hospital where there is AZ.

The affluent postcode nearby with a set up clinic at well known public arts spot are giving Pfizer.

So many of the people in the poorer postcodes are looking for and booking for Pfizer. Our local Facebook page always has people asking " do you know if they are giving AZ at .... clinic today"

Yes I do think in This particular area of they are giving AZ to the poorer people in the surrounding area who find it easier as they may not drive or have the time to travel further.

anon12345678901 · 07/06/2021 16:01

Our local hub has always had both. It's not a case of the poorer postcodes get AZ at all.

MostlyNormalSometimesOdd · 07/06/2021 16:14

Nope, vaccine centres just give out what they're given to use.
Example - My DP and I were vaccinated 4 weeks apart, I got Pfizer she got AZ, we live in the same house and got jabs in the same venue

delilahbucket · 07/06/2021 16:22

It is more likely to depend on the storage facilities than affluence. My local clinic has been doing both vaccines, at first depending on what stock they got and then they started doing Pfizer two days a week and AZ the other days. It is in a deprived area.

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