I've Been Vaccinated (No Politics Please)

[newdeal]

This is an excellent explanation. Also, it is believed that our body actually develops an antibody to attack the AZ vaccine carrier virus so the second shot is destroyed before it has a chance to deliver that DNA. This explains the paradox why waiting longer, such as 12 weeks, seems to increase efficacy of such vaccine when compared to 3 weeks like Pfizer. It reduces that chance of second dose destruction. To overcome this, Russian Sputnik-V vaccine (also using carrier virus) uses a different virus carrier so it is naive for your body. Therefore, their first and second doses are actually different and not interchangeable, unlike AZ vaccine. Amazing science, eh?

yes that certainly could be the case that the body is attacking the carrier virus. The Novavax vaccine that is in the news lately but won't likely be approved for at least multiple months takes it even a step further and is a direct injection of the spike protein rather than getting your body to produce it with mRNA like the mRNA vaccines do.

 

[samsteele]

Those who had no luck this morning on the Ontario book vaccine site, check again this afternoon as noticed some counties and towns have now been added and are booking either Pfizer or Moderna now for end of this week and into next week.

 

[Spotthecat]

Yeah we gave up on trying to get appointments this morning, it was a crapfest. DH eventually just went to a pop-clinic near work and got his second shot today. I think I'm going to do the same on Wed or Thursday when my 8 weeks are up - going to switch to Pfizer for my second.

 

[ottawamom]

I managed to shave a week off my 2nd shot appointment about an hour ago. I've been trying since to get an earlier time for DH, to no avail.

 

[pigletto]

I managed to shave a week off my 2nd shot appointment about an hour ago. I've been trying since to get an earlier time for DH, to no avail.

I’m just not understanding why it’s so hard . All we’ve been hearing is that we are getting these massive shipments of Pfizer.

Maybe that hasn’t started yet ? I think maybe the vaccine for Niagara region was diverted ( again) because there was absolutely no appointments at any site right from 8 am . I read our Chief Medical Officer was saying we don’t have enough vaccine yesterday too . Makes no sense .

We are a tourist Mecca and we will be slammed with this variant if we don’t get it in arms soon . We drove by our tourist areas this weekend and it looked as packed as any regular summer. There wasn’t enough room for people to social distance outdoors from what I saw , never mind indoors .

 

[hdrolfe]

I tried to move mine up but could only find appointments starting in August, so later rather than sooner. Very frustrating. The site is just not friendly to use at all. Did they close some of the sites in Ottawa? I thought they were doing them at Nepean Sportxplex which is down the road from me? But not even listed.

At least we has some excitement today, bear in a tree in a backyard down the road from me. My road is closed to traffic while they wait for the 5 tranquilizers to do their job so poor thing can get relocated. Very exciting stuff.

 

[MoreTravels]

In GTA, I don't see the Wonderland Drive-Thru as an option any more. Maybe it's because the amusement park is getting ready to reopen on July 7.
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/canada-s...ealth-and-safety-protocols-in-place-1.5469477
For those of you that got AZ vaccine as the first dose, are you getting an mRNA as a second dose? Or are you sticking with AZ again? The Delta variant looks very aggressive... it has caused UK to delay re-opening.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7947560/uk-reopening-plan-delta-variant/
I wonder what this means to us here in Canada. Hopefully, we will not see a similar wave here.

 

[bcwife76]

In GTA, I don't see the Wonderland Drive-Thru as an option any more. Maybe it's because the amusement park is getting ready to reopen on July 7.
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/canada-s...ealth-and-safety-protocols-in-place-1.5469477
For those of you that got AZ vaccine as the first dose, are you getting an mRNA as a second dose? Or are you sticking with AZ again? The Delta variant looks very aggressive... it has caused UK to delay re-opening.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7947560/uk-reopening-plan-delta-variant/
I wonder what this means to us here in Canada. Hopefully, we will not see a similar wave here.

I read that one of the reasons why the Delta has spread so much faster in the UK as they don't have as many in the 12+, 18+ 20's and 30's vaccinated with even ONE dose as opposed to Canada. In fact I'm not sure they have even started with the 12+. Also, Canada stopped flights from India and Pakistan in April, did the UK do the same?

DH and I are planning on getting AZ as our second dose, here in BC we are eligible starting this coming Sunday. However, I'm not sure how much AZ actually has on hand yet. If we are contacted by the gov't site for Pfizer as our second before we get an invite for AZ I might just go for that....

 

[ottawamom]

I tried to move mine up but could only find appointments starting in August, so later rather than sooner. Very frustrating. The site is just not friendly to use at all. Did they close some of the sites in Ottawa? I thought they were doing them at Nepean Sportxplex which is down the road from me? But not even listed.

At least we has some excitement today, bear in a tree in a backyard down the road from me. My road is closed to traffic while they wait for the 5 tranquilizers to do their job so poor thing can get relocated. Very exciting stuff.

If it's not listed it's because they have no availability. There should be more spots open up when the province ships more vaccine to Ottawa (or announces that they will). Listen for that announcement then keep trying. It's just like trying to snag a good fastpass time but more frustrating.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

For those of you that got AZ vaccine as the first dose, are you getting an mRNA as a second dose? Or are you sticking with AZ again? The Delta variant looks very aggressive... it has caused UK to delay re-opening.

I know for us ( Alberta ) we were able to choose. We are picking the Pfizer. I'm not confident enough in the AZ. Health Canada has WAVERED WAYYYYY too much for us to be comfortable getting it as a second dose. And as for protection against the Delta....this is all really a cr&p shoot anyways at this point. Their findings are way too early yet to have a definitive answer for us personally.

I would rather get a Pfizer now, then if we really need too, then get another booster if that is required. As for me....I've already had covid...so "technically" I should have lots of antibodies right now along with getting both of our shots. We go for our second ones Wednesday.

I hope that those of our Ontario peeps can get their second shots relatively soon, and that the booking headaches go away!!!!

 

[pigletto]

One thing to keep in mind too is that two doses of Astra Zeneca are only showing about 60% efficacy against the delta variant , and the UK was mostly vaccinated with Astra Zeneca . For this reason we have chosen to mix vaccines and get the boost in protection .
Astra Zeneca is showing to be highly effective against hospitalization but I’m sure it’s reduced efficacy is still accounting for these UK outbreaks.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I’m booked for my second dose on June 22nd, had my first dose on April 22nd and was AZ. I e decided I stead of waiting and waiting and wondering or if I’m going to be contacted for a 2nd dose of AZ I’m just going to get the Pfizer. I put myself on 7 wait lists for the 1st dose on April 18th and just in the last week started getting emails to book my first dose, I was able to get into Burlington Costco on April 18th for the 22nd, so I don’t want to see how long the wait is for the 2nd dose. I don’t have the patience nor do I want to sit here worrying whether I will be able to get it or not due to supply.

 

[bcwife76]

I know the US is recognizing AZ as a vaccine, but are they recognizing that AZ and Pfizer mix/match as being fully vaccinated?

 

[Starwind]

I tried to move mine up but could only find appointments starting in August, so later rather than sooner. Very frustrating. The site is just not friendly to use at all. Did they close some of the sites in Ottawa? I thought they were doing them at Nepean Sportxplex which is down the road from me? But not even listed.

At least we has some excitement today, bear in a tree in a backyard down the road from me. My road is closed to traffic while they wait for the 5 tranquilizers to do their job so poor thing can get relocated. Very exciting stuff.

5 ! That is one big bear. I wonder where it came from. On the news some people were speculating it may have been the Stittsville bear from the day before... but that is a long way to walk without getting noticed, plus 416 in the way.

Nepean Sportsplex is still a site. They only list the sites that have openings [or, well, that the system for some reasons thinks does, as when I would get in they never would]. The sportsplex showed up briefly on the list the system showed me this morning when I tried, then was gone a few minutes later.

 

[Starwind]

For those of you that got AZ vaccine as the first dose, are you getting an mRNA as a second dose? Or are you sticking with AZ again? The Delta variant looks very aggressive... it has caused UK to delay re-opening.

I have decided to get an mRNA for second dose. Am now trying to figure out where in the 8-12 week range do I aim for if I have the choice.

 

[hdrolfe]

5 ! That is one big bear. I wonder where it came from. On the news some people were speculating it may have been the Stittsville bear from the day before... but that is a long way to walk without getting noticed, plus 416 in the way.

Nepean Sportsplex is still a site. They only list the sites that have openings [or, well, that the system for some reasons thinks does, as when I would get in they never would]. The sportsplex showed up briefly on the list the system showed me this morning when I tried, then was gone a few minutes later.

The bear apparently walked right across my sister's lawn, she lives a few streets over from me. There is a bike path at the end of her street that leads out to Fallowfield across from some farmland and the bus/train station. There was a bear seen there last year. They are still on the street of the house the bear is in the yard of (wow that's a bad sentence, sorry) not sure what's going on now.

I will keep an eye out for NSP, thanks, it's much closer to us. My niece and her boyfriend still don't have their first doses! They are booked for the 28th I think? And in Orleans (living in Barrhaven), I tell them to keep checking, she is working from home now (finally got a government job) and he's in construction, they are young but it would still be nice to have them safe. I heard Ottawa is supposed to be getting a bunch more doses, but we are still below our share for the province.

I had AZ first and am booked for Moderna (or maybe Pfizer) second, I just want to get a second dose, and be done with it.

 

[FinnFogg]

Tomorrow is 8 weeks to the day since I got my first shot of AZ here in BC. Just popped my head in my (sleepy little) neighborhood pharmacy where I got dose 1 to make sure they are in fact administering dose 2, as many of my friends who went to larger chains had already been contacted and have appointments booked for later in the month. The pharmacist would have jabbed me on the spot, but suggested I go back tomorrow morning (no appointment needed) so that is “officially” 8 weeks. I’m super excited to be fully vaccinated, but my husband is strongly in the mixing and matching camp and will likely hold out for an mRNA. My personal views are: (i) I am not too concerned about the blood clot risk…definitely need to keep an eye out for warning signs but I am comfortable with the numbers, (ii) I really want to finish a complete series of a particular type of vaccine. Part of me is also wondering whether the immune response will be “better” mixing and matching, but if it is then there is nothing stopping me from walking into a Walgreens the next time we are in the States (hopefully soon!!) and getting a single Pfizer shot to top things up. All to say that I think I am going to pull the trigger tomorrow and finish this once and for all!

 

[bcwife76]

Tomorrow is 8 weeks to the day since I got my first shot of AZ here in BC. Just popped my head in my (sleepy little) neighborhood pharmacy where I got dose 1 to make sure they are in fact administering dose 2, as many of my friends who went to larger chains had already been contacted and have appointments booked for later in the month. The pharmacist would have jabbed me on the spot, but suggested I go back tomorrow morning (no appointment needed) so that is “officially” 8 weeks. I’m super excited to be fully vaccinated, but my husband is strongly in the mixing and matching camp and will likely hold out for an mRNA. My personal views are: (i) I am not too concerned about the blood clot risk…definitely need to keep an eye out for warning signs but I am comfortable with the numbers, (ii) I really want to finish a complete series of a particular type of vaccine. Part of me is also wondering whether the immune response will be “better” mixing and matching, but if it is then there is nothing stopping me from walking into a Walgreens the next time we are in the States (hopefully soon!!) and getting a single Pfizer shot to top things up. All to say that I think I am going to pull the trigger tomorrow and finish this once and for all!

We are also in BC. My dh and I had our AZ doses at Costco in April. 8 weeks will be June 20. We have NOT been contacted by Costco and their website just has a "wait-list". The Costco we went to for our shots, we were there a few nights ago to shop and the waiting area (for post shots) is gone. I'm a little....concerned at this point. We are the only ones in our friends group who went through Costco. Everyone else (who got AZ) went to smaller pharmacies or Shoppers.

 

[FinnFogg]

We are also in BC. My dh and I had our AZ doses at Costco in April. 8 weeks will be June 20. We have NOT been contacted by Costco and their website just has a "wait-list". The Costco we went to for our shots, we were there a few nights ago to shop and the waiting area (for post shots) is gone. I'm a little....concerned at this point. We are the only ones in our friends group who went through Costco. Everyone else (who got AZ) went to smaller pharmacies or Shoppers.

Have you talked to the pharmacist at Costco? I had zero communication from my pharmacy, and no online booking capability (even though they has it for first shots). Also no signage. When I went in earlier this evening, she said they were calling people in batches, but checked my name against their records of people they had given first shots to and offered to jab me in the spot.

 

[badiggio]

Just received a phone call from walmart pharmacy and we're moved up again.originally we were booked for aug 5th for our second,then moved up to july 6th and now this thursday ,june 17th.Could've had the wednesday but already had other things lined up.I was told it would be pfizer;if I wanted the AZ like I had at first I'd have to wait.
About the bear sightings,we now live up fernbank towards main in stittsville and the one in barrhaven was a couple of blocks from where we used to live. I have to say though,I'm feeling sad for the wildlife as construction everywhere is taking away their homes and is pushing them into communities.I think they must be 2 separate bears as it's quite a distance for a bear to travel in a day.