I've Been Vaccinated (No Politics Please)

[ronandannette]

That's my thinking, too. However, since the AZ one can't be given to the lower age groups, I worry that they'll just skip the 55-64 age group for offering Pfizer/Moderna and just move on to the lower age groups for those vaccines, leaving AZ as the only choice for anyone 55-64 until maybe as much as Sept. That's all speculation, though.

Good Morning Figment! Have you made any decisions yet? I’m still teetering but would like to settle my mind today. DH has had his first and now DS has been included in a priority group and will be getting his first dose of Moderna on Tuesday. That just leaves me in our household, in what feels like a very precarious take-it-or-leave-it situation with the AstraZeneca. Thoughts?

 

[JediBonas]

Got my first shot yesterday (Pfizer). So far my arm is a little sore, but really not bad at all. After the shot I did feel a little dizzy and nauseous but I have anxiety and am pretty sure it was psychosomatic.

 

[vegs1]

I just watched a video from CBC National that explained basically the same thing as the one Donald posted, it said basically the same thing but included the detail about AZ being tested in the fall, it also gave the updated efficacy rates for the 4 approved in Canada, I think AZ went up to 81%. Someone had shared it on facebook and I think this is it https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1880969283645 if the link works.

Forgot to add, it speaks to the delay between shots too (it improves the efficacy on the AZ).

@hdrolfe Thank you for posting that. My son sent me that last night as well. He knew I had been tormented by whether to go for the AstraZeneca vaccine or not. I had told him I felt relief once I actually got it and he just said “Mom, I’m glad you got it. You just set an example for all of us”. That made me cry as I had never thought of it like that.

The risks are so small but the benefits are huge. Please just take what you are given so we can all put this pandemic behind us. Be the example!

 

[quandrea]

I’m waiting to hear about the mobile clinics in peel for 18+. I also had a thought today that dd may be eligible. They are counting 50+ people as those born 1971 and earlier. Many of those people aren’t fifty yet. Dd just turned 17, so she’s in her 18th year. Once they release the birth years, I’ll know, but I’m hoping we squeak her through.

 

[ottawamom]

Good Morning Figment! Have you made any decisions yet? I’m still teetering but would like to settle my mind today. DH has had his first and now DS has been included in a priority group and will be getting his first dose of Moderna on Tuesday. That just leaves me in our household, in what feels like a very precarious take-it-or-leave-it situation with the AstraZeneca. Thoughts?

New way of thinking about it. The only good shot is the one that's in your arm. Take a look at the CBC video @hdrolfe posted it will give you the Canadian perspective. Efficacy as a # isn't everything. See Jacquelines post about that (with video form US). What's important is they will all keep you from dying and will prevent serious disease. Yes you may get Covid but it will be more like a cold than....

 

[quandrea]

New way of thinking about it. The only good shot is the one that's in your arm. Take a look at the CBC videao @hdrolfe posted it will give you the Canadian perspective. Efficacy as a # isn't everything. See Jacquelines post about that (with video form us). What's important is they will all keep you from dying and will prevent serious disease. Yes you may get Covid but it will be more like a cold than....

That’s what I kept telling dh when he’d half joke that he was getting an inferior vaccine. AZ is 100% effective against serious illness, hospitalisation and death.

 

[ronandannette]

New way of thinking about it. The only good shot is the one that's in your arm. Take a look at the CBC video @hdrolfe posted it will give you the Canadian perspective. Efficacy as a # isn't everything. See Jacquelines post about that (with video form US). What's important is they will all keep you from dying and will prevent serious disease. Yes you may get Covid but it will be more like a cold than....

Interesting turn of events... I called just now to make an appointment for the AZ dose at the pharmacy associated with my doctor's medical practice (not a big chain like Shoppers or Superstore). The pharmacist said she would put me on the list for last-minute cancellations for the Moderna. Apparently they are authorized to offer it to people outside the approved groups on a 30-minute notice basis if vials are at risk of expiring by the end of the day because people have not kept their appointments. I said "You bet - I'll drop what I'm doing and be there lickety-split." So we shall see where that goes and I've decided to give it a week. If I haven't been called by then, I'll go ahead and take the AZ.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Ontario’s numbers today are very sobering..

4227 new cases in 24 hours. Staggering.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I just watched a video from CBC National that explained basically the same thing as the one Donald posted, it said basically the same thing but included the detail about AZ being tested in the fall, it also gave the updated efficacy rates for the 4 approved in Canada, I think AZ went up to 81%. Someone had shared it on facebook and I think this is it https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1880969283645 if the link works.

Forgot to add, it speaks to the delay between shots too (it improves the efficacy on the AZ).

Very good video. Thanks for posting it.

 

[damo]

Interesting turn of events... I called just now to make an appointment for the AZ dose at the pharmacy associated with my doctor's medical practice (not a big chain like Shoppers or Superstore). The pharmacist said she would put me on the list for last-minute cancellations for the Moderna. Apparently they are authorized to offer it to people outside the approved groups on a 30-minute notice basis if vials are at risk of expiring by the end of the day because people have not kept their appointments. I said "You bet - I'll drop what I'm doing and be there lickety-split." So we shall see where that goes and I've decided to give it a week. If I haven't been called by then, I'll go ahead and take the AZ.

I wouldn't be surprised if people with the AZ shot are able to get their second shot way before others because of the limited number of people receiving the shot and the seemingly abundance of actual AZ vaccines.

 

[hdrolfe]

I wouldn't be surprised if people with the AZ shot are able to get their second shot way before others because of the limited number of people receiving the shot and the seemingly abundance of actual AZ vaccines.

the interesting thing about the AZ shots are that the longer gap makes the efficacy higher from their studies. So at least in that case, it would be ok to wait for the second dose.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I wouldn't be surprised if people with the AZ shot are able to get their second shot way before others because of the limited number of people receiving the shot and the seemingly abundance of actual AZ vaccines.

And there are negotiations ongoing for Canada to receive another very large shipment of the stockpile of AZ from the US where it is still not approved

 

[hdrolfe]

And there are negotiations ongoing for Canada to receive another very large shipment of the stockpile of AZ from the US where it is still not approved

I hope they'll allow it to be given to younger people, age 45+ would work for me

 

[TommyJK]

And there are negotiations ongoing for Canada to receive another very large shipment of the stockpile of AZ from the US where it is still not approved

From what I've been seeing on US news stations this morning, it seems like the US is likely going to forego using AZ becasue they have enough of the others anyway. And introducing AZ to their population with all of the negative press that's been floating around about it could lead to even more vaccine hesitancy down there.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I'm tired today so if I come across as snippy that's because i AM Please, please, PLEASE, get vaccinated with whatever you have the chance to take. More and more variants are popping up, those variants are playing nice and joining up to create new baby variants moving us further from the "wild" COVID-19 the vaccines were designed to fight. YES, the technology used to develop those means they can do some tweaking to make them work still but that will take more time and another delay in vaccines for Canada. One of the most depressing things I read today was that once again, we're having elective surgeries in Ontario put on hold (some cancer treatments fall under that umbrella as do certain heart conditions, joint replacements etc) just adding to the post-COVID tsunami that will only serve to continue to strain our healthcare workers. I have access to my treatment but not until the hospital's numbers settle and for me personally until the "please don't leave your health unit" suggestion is removed because I figure I can't point a finger at those who are ignoring the other parts of the stay-at-home order if I'm not following it as well. We need to help stop this freight train.

For a reference point for where we seem to be in the vaccine roll-out in Ontario: my sister is 62 and preregistered with our health unit to get her shot mid-March. We're well ahead of other areas of the province (well we were until this AM when TO & Peel opened up to get the hotspots started) into phase 2 several weeks ago.She refuses to get the AZ because she thinks it's dangerous & the earliest appointment she could get in her town wasn't until June 20th. She took one here instead on April 22nd, WOAH, that's nuts! Age before beauty, uhm, I mean, before at risk categories, so in my health unit those in the 55+ group that can now get the AZ will be waiting till June to get into the mass clinics.

Again, now is NOT the time to be wasting our mental energy on the problems with our supply which then leads to the problems with our actual vaccines getting to clinics. Yup, there's problems with this roll-out that's now sorta limping but let's work together, prop each other up when we need to and get to the end of the road.

 

[FigmentSpark]

In case anyone is booking through the Shopper's Drug Mart site (Ontario, but maybe across the country), I tried to book a vaccine today and got through everything only to be told it wasn't working. I phoned the pharmacy and she confirmed that the website wasn't working and you have to phone your pharmacy to book an appointment.

I was able to get one tonight and they had a few times to choose from, so there must be plenty available. (Ontario - GTA area)

 

[FigmentSpark]

Does anyone (in Ontario) know if students living in residence qualify for the vaccine, since they are in a group living situation (for the most part)?

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Does anyone (in Ontario) know if students living in residence qualify for the vaccine, since they are in a group living situation (for the most part)?

Congregate settings don’t seem to include student residence in phase one or two. Phase one congregate settings target LTC and Seniors homes. In phase two the target is Shelters, community living situations.

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/ontarios-covid-19-vaccination-plan

 

[FigmentSpark]

Okay... back from Shoppers. Go, sign in, fill in forms, get shot, wait, sign out and home. So far, so good. They'll email or text us within the next 16 weeks for shot 2.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

For those getting the AZ vaccine, keep an eye on the news out of France in the next while, they are suggesting that the second dose be a different brand so as to lessen the rare chance of the side effect that has caused such concern. If they do and it proves to be a good option... it may become the way things will be done going forward. #options