Vaccine Rollout in Australia - personal accounts.

[DC3]

Two days after and no reaction what so ever.

Yes. Some don’t seem as delicate as others.

 

[Flashback]

Vaccination clinic in Conakry, Guinea.


I think I'll wait till I'm back in the UK for my booster

Some wildlife around though.

 

[andye]

Just in the middle of Qudos arena after Pfizer 3 booster.
Easy process-booked appointment in car park
Long empty corridors.
Staff with very little to do.
There are only 8 others on the arena floor having their observation period

 

[dairyfloss]

Just in the middle of Qudos arena after Pfizer 3 booster.
Easy process-booked appointment in car park
Long empty corridors.
Staff with very little to do.
There are only 8 others on the arena floor having their observation period

Being the afternoon of Melbourne Cup possibly doesn't help with drawing much of a crowd today?

 

[andye]

Being the afternoon of Melbourne Cup possibly doesn't help with drawing much of a crowd today?

I watched my horse come last and still came

 

[Lynda2475]

Easy process-booked appointment in car park

I looked at booking yesterday (for my parents next month), but the federal booking engine didnt have a booster option that I could see. Which site did you use?

 

[andye]

I looked at booking yesterday (for my parents next month), but the federal booking engine didnt have a booster option that I could see. Which site did you use?

Find a health service

Use the healthdirect Service Finder to locate your nearest health services in any part of Australia, such as GPs, hospitals, dentists, psychologists, hospitals, optical, pathology, pharmacies and a wide range of others.

covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au

 

[Lynda2475]

Yah that's where i looked yesterday, just asks what vaccine you want not if its a booster, mind you didnt go past the mobile screen.

Interesting if you pick Moderna it only offers you Pharmacies (as expected) but if you choose Pfizer you get Olympic Park and Qdos straight away.

Cant see Qdos being open much longer, there are concerts booked there for December.

 

[andye]

Yah that's where i looked yesterday, just asks what vaccine you want not if its a booster, mind you didnt go past the mobile screen.

Interesting if you pick Moderna it only offers you Pharmacies (as expected) but if you choose Pfizer you get Olympic Park and Qdos straight away.

Cant see Qdos being open much longer, there are concerts booked there for December.

Certainly had an end-of-days feel this afternoon

 

[dairyfloss]

Cant see Qdos being open much longer, there are concerts booked there for December.

That’s right - out with the Delta variant, and in with the Delta Goodrem!

 

[Lynda2475]

and in with the Delta Goodrem!

Sitting through a Delta Goodrem concert might be more painful than contracting covid

 

[Pushka]

In waiting area after Pfizer booster. Being on blood thinners a blood vessel popped. Has happened before with flu shot but took the vaccinator by surprise. Told her not to worry. Unlike AZ I can feel the site this time.

 

[Lynda2475]

Unlike AZ I can feel the site this time.

More likely to do with the skill of the person giving the shot than the vaccine used. Some are great at giving pain free injections, others less so. Its like dentists, some ensure a positive experience others you'd swear were sadists.

 

[Pushka]

More likely to do with the skill of the person giving the shot than the vaccine used. Some are great at giving pain free injections, others less so. Its like dentists, some ensure a positive experience others you'd swear were sadists.

The last flu shot was worse. It must have been her first. Took forever. I just wanted to push down on the plunger and get it in. I know I’ll have a bruise this time.

 

[Pushka]

Day after booster Pfizer. Unlike AZ, this time I can feel that I've had a vaccination with tender area at injection site. More than I've had with flu as well. However not feeling the least bit unwell, nor feelings of unusual (for me) lethargy. I had red swellings all around it last night, then realised it was from the tape they used when I had issues with bleeding at the time as I'm somewhat allergic to some kinds of medical tapes. So all done - hopefully for many months now but I'd certainly be up for another booster of Pfizer should that be deemed necessary.

As Im immunocompromised there was a short discussion as to whether this was a booster or a third top up as the vaccinator did say they were different which is contrary to what I've heard elsewhere. The criteria for this being severely, based on medications of suppression, but I'm only on one of them and not two to qualify. I didn't want a third one only to then have a booster as well.

 

[Lynda2475]

a booster or a third top up as the vaccinator did say they were different which is contrary to what I've heard elsewhere

No they are different and have been communicated as such.

If you are imuno compromised you can have a 3rd full dose of whatever you had for doses 1-2 and do not have to wait 6 months. You will then get a booster 6 months after dose 3.

Whereas, at the moment a booster will be Pfizer at 6 months unless you have a medical reason to get AZ, Moderna not yet approved as a booster. The booster is also not necessarily a full dose.

 

[Pushka]

No they are different and have been communicated as such.

If you are imuno compromised you can have a 3rd full dose of whatever you had for doses 1-2 and do not have to wait 6 months. You will then get a booster 6 months after dose 3.

Whereas, at the moment a booster will be Pfizer at 6 months unless you have a medical reason to get AZ, Moderna not yet approved as a booster. The booster is also not necessarily a full dose.

This very question was asked of the Deputy CHO in a press conference possibly two weeks ago and she said they were the same thing. Mind you, I don't exactly have a great opinion of her.

My niece is severely immunocompromised and had her third dose but of Pfizer within four months of her last AZ as she is on one of the immunosuppressants I'm on plus one of the 'mab' biologics. I do understand the process for the immunocompromised for Covid vaccinations.

Maybe this is a cached page but it seems that people getting the third dose because of being immunocompromised, will not need the booster dose

Booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine

Booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for people aged 18 and over in Australia.

www.health.gov.au

ATAGI put out their recommendations for APS patients after we had both had our first AZ, whereas both of us should have had Pfozer from the start, even though I did not qualify because of my age. So while we both had our second AZ, neither of us wanted to check the third time lucky (unlucky) box. So we both had Pfizer.

Is there any way of checking the dosage of what the booster is?

 

[Lynda2475]

Is there any way of checking the dosage of what the booster is?

No idea but rumour has it most have been full doses to date due to low demand, and not knowing if the next person to rock up will be a first, second or Booster dose.

 

[Pushka]

No idea but rumour has it most have been full doses to date due to low demand, and not knowing if the next person to rock up will be a first, second or Booster dose.

Yes that was my impression too that the syringes are just prepared for whomever rocks up.

 

[Lynda2475]

ABC reports that:

The national expert vaccine group has recommended there be no widespread change to Australia's vaccine booster program in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

However, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is recommending severely immunocompromised people get a booster shot two months after their second dose.

ATAGI recommends no change to COVID vaccine booster program amid Omicron variant

The national expert vaccine group recommends there be no widespread change to Australia's vaccine booster program, except for severely immunocompromised people, who can receive a booster shot two months after their second dose.

www.abc.net.au