The vaccines | vaxxed boosted unvaxxed? New poll

[Classical Mechanic]

What’s the booking process for vaccines like?

I see it’s down to 36 now and I’m 34. If I tried to book would it reject my booking or would it just be questioned when I get there? I see that people have been successful booking before their age group in the past so I’m just wondering how that happens

Have you tried the NHS website? It let me book before I was officially allowed.

Got my jab this morning at the Etihad. For any under 40s worrying that if you book through the website, rather than being specifically invited, that you may not get Moderna or Pfizer, I got the Moderna and there was a system in place to make sure I did. They took my details, DOB etc and give you a sticker with either Moderna or AZ on it so the stewards know where to direct you.

What I would say about a mass vaccination centre like that it took longer than I expected. I was there for about 45 minutes (15 minutes to see if I had a reaction after). People that have been to smaller places seem to get turned around much quicker. I'd estimate that there were about 300 cars in the car park so there were lots of people about including a few anti-vaxxers trying to talk you out of it! The weirdest thing was that it was in the tennis centre and there were people playing on the indoor courts as you went through the system.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

So I’ll be registering for a vaccine tomorrow. Looks like I might need to make a choice between AZ or J&J straight away or wait (an unspecified time) for Pfizer/Moderna. The most first world problem ever but still a bit of a tough decision. I’m going to sleep on it.

 

[AgentSmith]

Just been for my first jab. Really efficient system with brilliant staff at every step and a great outdoor post jab waiting area; well-ventilated with lots of space. Everyone masked up as well and in good spirits in case anyone was feeling pre-jab anxiety.

Quite a few of my mates have been called up as well (24/25 years old) so we were all quite surprised, but grateful, to get the text. They’ve all had similar experiences in terms of a smooth operation. Wonder if it’s just a specific area thing or if they’ve reached people in their 20s more nationally.

The NHS really is great!

 

[Dumbstar]

You are going to wear a disguise?

A big penis costume. Only kidding Pexbie you left yourself far too open.

 

[DixieDean]

First vaccine jab, done! I had to queue for about 50 minutes but apart from that it went smoothly. I have a very minor arm ache, but it's hardly anything, at all.

I ended up going to a part of Liverpool I have not been in years and it was beautiful day.

 

[Traub]

So I’ll be registering for a vaccine tomorrow. Looks like I might need to make a choice between AZ or J&J straight away or wait (an unspecified time) for Pfizer/Moderna. The most first world problem ever but still a bit of a tough decision. I’m going to sleep on it.

Tough choice. I had a similar option, although I think my wait time for Pfizer would be longer than yours. I decided to go for the J&J, as I do spend quite a bit of time around my parents - even though they're vaccinated (also J&J), I thought reducing the possible risk to them is probably the most important thing I could do.

 

[stw2022]

Turning down a vaccine under any circumstances seems nuts.

 

[Pexbo]

Tried to sign up for my vaccine on the NHS website but it rejected me for having too big a penis. I’ll wait next week when they allow people as well endowed as me to sign up.

 

[stw2022]

Tried to sign up for my vaccine on the NHS website but it rejected me for having too big a penis. I’ll wait next week when they allow people as well endowed as me to sign up.

According to nurse who did mine they’re only doing small pricks at the minute mate

 

[Pexbo]

According to nurse who did mine they’re only doing small pricks at the minute mate

Bless you

 

[Traub]

Turning down a vaccine under any circumstances seems nuts.

I think it depends on how long you'll have to wait and the current number of cases around you. For example, a week wait while cases are low doesn't seem too much of a stretch.

 

[stw2022]

I think it depends on how long you'll have to wait and the current number of cases around you. For example, a week wait while cases are low doesn't seem too much of a stretch.

But cases are low here largely because of mass rollout of AZ. People are treating vaccine like designer shoes.

“Sorry I was asymptotic and killed your dad, anything other than Moderna wouldn’t go with anything in my wardrobe so I waited a few weeks “

 

[Traub]

But cases are low here largely because of mass rollout of AZ. People are treating vaccine like designer shoes.

“Sorry I was asymptotic and killed your dad, anything other than Moderna wouldn’t go with anything in my wardrobe so I waited a few weeks “

yeah that's a good point.

 

[Wibble]

@Wibble, glad you and your wife finally got the vaccine!

The over 50's now have no supply issues as we make 1 million does of AZ per week but only use it on us oldies. We have finally ordered Moderna (a year to late) but that won't arrive until late 2021 and early 2022. We have lots of Pfizer ordered but supplies are only dribbling in. You know it is bad because the Feds are just refusing to talk about it. They have missed out the usual steps of bullshitting us which is a worry.

 

[Mogget]

But cases are low here largely because of mass rollout of AZ. People are treating vaccine like designer shoes.

“Sorry I was asymptotic and killed your dad, anything other than Moderna wouldn’t go with anything in my wardrobe so I waited a few weeks “

I remember asymptotes being tricky but I don't think they've ever killed anyone

 

[stw2022]

Haha

But you know just look at what vaccination rates have done to COVID levels here where as far as I can see few people have paid attention to restrictions at all since Feb.

Vaccine brand preference is just vaccine hesitancy for those who want to pretend they’re better than the conspiracy theorists

 

[Penna]

Haha

But you know just look at what vaccination rates have done to COVID levels here where as far as I can see few people have paid attention to restrictions at all since Feb.

Vaccine brand preference is just vaccine hesitancy for those who want to pretend they’re better than the conspiracy theorists

The only real advantage is that you're fully-vaccinated sooner with Pfizer or Moderna. Our friend here had AZ a couple of months ago because he's 75, and yet my second appointment is 10 days before his.

J&J is the most convenient but there's not much of that here in Italy, it seems.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

The only real advantage is that you're fully-vaccinated sooner with Pfizer or Moderna. Our friend here had AZ a couple of months ago because he's 75, and yet my second appointment is 10 days before his.

J&J is the most convenient but there's not much of that here in Italy, it seems.

I don't think that's right is it? A single shot still gives high efficacy from all the vaccines and extending the dose gives better efficacy ultimately with AZ and now it looks like with Pfizer too.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I don't think that's right is it? A single shot still gives very high efficacy from all the vaccines and extending the dose gives better efficacy ultimately with AZ and now it looks like with Pfizer too.

There’s a good chance that travel restrictions etc will apply to anyone not “fully vaccinated”. When you get a vaccine that is licensed to be given as two doses that won’t be until after the second dose.

J&J won’t cause that problem but you’d wonder about the durability of response without that second dose.

Finally you have the clotting issue. For young people when community transmission is low the risk vs benefit gets less compelling. That’s why the UK recently decided not to give AZ to anyone under 30 (which is, obviously, a fairly arbitrary age cut off)

There’s plenty of completely rational reasons to be choosy about your vaccine. Provided you have that luxury of choice.

 

[Penna]

I don't think that's right is it? A single shot still gives very high efficacy from all the vaccines and extending the dose gives better efficacy ultimately with AZ and now it looks like with Pfizer too.

I meant that the best situation is to be fully-vaccinated as soon as possible, and AZ is a far longer timeline for that. Not just for personal safety, but for convenience - so that you can actually start moving around the country (and even go to other countries). One jab (excluding J&J) doesn't give you that. Of course, it's good to have had the first dose of anything!

oates only had to wait 3 weeks for his second Pfizer (that's now been pushed back to 5 weeks for people booking in later priority groups), but AZ recipients have had to wait 12 weeks here.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

There’s a good chance that travel restrictions etc will apply to anyone not “fully vaccinated”. When you get a vaccine that is licensed to be given as two doses that won’t be until after the second dose.

J&J won’t cause that problem but you’d wonder about the durability of response without that second dose.

Finally you have the clotting issue. For young people when community transmission is low the risk vs benefit gets a less compelling. That’s why the UK recently decided not to give AZ to anyone under 30 (which is, obviously, a fairly arbitrary age cut off)

I don't think the first point is an issue because as a country we don't want people travelling. Firstly because of what they might bring back but secondly because it would be better for our economy if they spent the money built up through furlough domestically.

That said, Portugal and Italy among others have already opened up to British tourists on the proviso of a negative PCR test only.

 

[Penna]

I don't think the first point is an issue because as a country we don't want people travelling. Firstly because of what they might bring back but secondly because it would be better for our economy if they spent the money built up through furlough domestically.

That said, Portugal and Italy among others have already opened up to British tourists on the proviso of a negative PCR test only.

Lots of people want to have a sunny summer holiday this year, if at all possible. They didn't get one last year and I don't think it's at all unreasonable for families to have a fortnight in the sunshine.

I understand your point of view, but on the other hand we have to get the economy functioning again and let people get back to a normal way of life. We can't keep people confined within their national borders for another year.

 

[F-Red]

I don't think the first point is an issue because as a country we don't want people travelling. Firstly because of what they might bring back but secondly because it would be better for our economy if they spent the money built up through furlough domestically.

That said, Portugal and Italy among others have already opened up to British tourists on the proviso of a negative PCR test only.

There's plenty of people who want to travel, not for holiday purposes, but to visit family who live abroad. This 'spending the money domestically' view is a bit of a moot point.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

There's plenty of people who want to travel, not for holiday purposes, but to visit family who live abroad. This 'spending the money domestically' view is a bit of a moot point.

In that case then as Pogue suggested, the J&J vaccine could be put aside for people that are desperate to travel on a vaccine passport. The vast majority will just want a sunny holiday abroad, however. It's very much a first world problem.

 

[RobinLFC]

I meant that the best situation is to be fully-vaccinated as soon as possible, and AZ is a far longer timeline for that. Not just for personal safety, but for convenience - so that you can actually start moving around the country (and even go to other countries). One jab (excluding J&J) doesn't give you that. Of course, it's good to have had the first dose of anything!

oates only had to wait 3 weeks for his second Pfizer (that's now been pushed back to 5 weeks for people booking in later priority groups), but AZ recipients have had to wait 12 weeks here.

Yeah I think that's the case for a lot of EU countries at the moment. My partner is a healthcare worker and she got AZ back in March but only gets her second jab in the beginning of June. Meanwhile I *should* get my first jab at the end of June but it'll most likely be Pfizer or J&J since we don't give AZ to under 40s anymore. If I get J&J I'll be "fully vaccinated" just a couple of weeks after her, although I guess she'll have been better protected than me since she got her first jab.

Honestly can't wait to get the vaccine and don't really care what it will be. Pfizer would be a little less convenient since I'd have to return in the beginning of August and I'd have to wait to take time off work but that's a nothing problem in the grand scheme of things.

Hope you both have your second jabs soon enough and can start to travel around a bit more again!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Anyway. Looks like my indecisiveness is moot. Just registered and apparently everyone in my age group is getting Pfizer/Moderna. Another masterclass in press leaks and confusion from the Irish government.

 

[decorativeed]

Haha

But you know just look at what vaccination rates have done to COVID levels here where as far as I can see few people have paid attention to restrictions at all since Feb.

Vaccine brand preference is just vaccine hesitancy for those who want to pretend they’re better than the conspiracy theorists

It's not just that. Some people suffer from serious and debilitating medical anxiety and having the worry hanging over them that they may develop a serious blood clot - no matter how slim those odds are - is something that they will want to try to avoid for the sake of their mental health.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It's not just that. Some people suffer from serious and debilitating medical anxiety and having the worry hanging over them that they may develop a serious blood clot - no matter how slim those odds are - is something that they will want to try to avoid for the sake of their mental health.

One thing I’d say to those people is if you haven’t had a clot soon after the vaccine you’re not going to get one. This seems to be something you get early or not at all.

 

[RobinLFC]

It's not just that. Some people suffer from serious and debilitating medical anxiety and having the worry hanging over them that they may develop a serious blood clot - no matter how slim those odds are - is something that they will want to try to avoid for the sake of their mental health.

Isn't the percentage of blood cloths related to Pfizer and AZ pretty similar or is that already outdated?

They still can comfort themselves that the risk of getting a blood cloth if they contract covid is way higher if I'm not mistaken, but indeed if you have medical anxiety it might not be that black and white.

 

[decorativeed]

One thing I’d say to those people is if you haven’t had a clot soon after the vaccine you’re not going to get one. This seems to be something you get early or not at all.

Yeah, but do know people for whom this is a big concern. So if they can allay that by simply choosing a vaccine that doesn't have that side effect, that's the simplest way to get them vaccinated quickly.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Yeah, but do know people for whom this is a big concern. So if they can allay that by simply choosing a vaccine that doesn't have that side effect, that's the simplest way to get them vaccinated quickly.

If that anxiety is the difference between them getting vaccinated or not then it’s a good example of why having a choice is a good thing (even though it probably seems obscene to anyone living in the developing world)

 

[decorativeed]

Anyway, I'm trying to book mine, but it's being made difficult my the work schedule I'm on. I have to get something ready for a tight deadline which has meant working evenings and weekends for the last couple of weeks since I got the invitation.

Does anyone know why I'm only getting the option of going to the Etihad as my nearest centre (5 miles away), while my wife is getting the option of one within walking distance? I've a bad needle phobia so am going to be going with a hefty dose of diazepam in me, which means walking would be fine, but driving is out of the question.

 

[Penna]

@RobinLFC, thanks - oates has had both shots now, so he's safe. He was in a priority group because of health issues, so I'm relieved he's been able to get sorted out relatively quickly.

I had major reservations myself because of a previous very severe reaction to a vaccination that put me in hospital and off work for 6 weeks, but I decided to take the risk after talking to a neurologist. So far so good, I've had some minor recurrence of my permanent neuro symptoms but nothing new.

 

[horsechoker]

Does anyone know why I'm only getting the option of going to the Etihad as my nearest centre (5 miles away), while my wife is getting the option of one within walking distance? I've a bad needle phobia so am going to be going with a hefty dose of diazepam in me, which means walking would be fine, but driving is out of the question.

They need to get people into the stadium somehow

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Anyway, I'm trying to book mine, but it's being made difficult my the work schedule I'm on. I have to get something ready for a tight deadline which has meant working evenings and weekends for the last couple of weeks since I got the invitation.

Does anyone know why I'm only getting the option of going to the Etihad as my nearest centre (5 miles away), while my wife is getting the option of one within walking distance? I've a bad needle phobia so am going to be going with a hefty dose of diazepam in me, which means walking would be fine, but driving is out of the question.

Have you tried contacting your GP surgery or one of the closer sites directly?

 

[decorativeed]

Have you tried contacting your GP surgery or one of the closer sites directly?

Yeah, they say they have no control over where I am offered an appointment. Every other place they offer is even further away on the opposite side of Manchester. Everyone I know around here have been going much more local.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Yeah, they say they have no control over where I am offered an appointment. Every other place they offer is even further away on the opposite side of Manchester. Everyone I know around here have been going much more local.

It is a bit weird although I had no options very local to me. I was offered Harpurhey and The Etihad Campus as the closest. Maybe it's to do with vaccine stocks. Are your wife and other friends under 40 too?

 

[decorativeed]

It is a bit weird although I had no options very local to me. I was offered Harpurhey and The Etihad Campus as the closest. Maybe it's to do with vaccine stocks. Are your wife and other friends under 40 too?

My wife is 33, I'm 41, but my parents in their sixties were offered closer places. They've also set up tents in car parks around the corner at points, I wonder how you get into those?

 

[Classical Mechanic]

My wife is 33, I'm 41, but my parents in their sixties were offered closer places. They've also set up tents in car parks around the corner at points, I wonder how you get into those?

I'm not sure. I know my mum was trying for a few weeks until see got offered a local one as she wouldn't get vaccinated anywhere except at her GP surgery.

 

[decorativeed]

I'm not sure. I know my mum was trying for a few weeks until see got offered a local one as she wouldn't get vaccinated anywhere except at her GP surgery.

My wife's grandad refused to go to the centre they offered him as he didn't know where it was. Eventually they came round to his house and gave him his vaccination at home. He in his 90s though, so I'm not sure I can get away with that.