Vaccine Rollout in Australia - personal accounts.

[tgh]

We have an appt for booster #2 tomorrow.
GP quite firm in recommending but I have some thoughts in terms of "saving" booster #4 until just before I travel later in the year.
A booster hopefully warrants a short term infection free honeymoon, minimising the chances of being locked up somewhere.
I guess I can have a Moderna tomorrow ( Az-Az_Pf-Mod ) and then pay for a Novavax in 6 months.. but all these jabs may not be good for long term health.
Thoughts anyone ?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

We have an appt for booster #2 tomorrow.
GP quite firm in recommending but I have some thoughts in terms of "saving" booster #4 until just before I travel later in the year.
A booster hopefully warrants a short term infection free honeymoon, minimising the chances of being locked up somewhere.
I guess I can have a Moderna tomorrow ( Az-Az_Pf-Mod ) and then pay for a Novavax in 6 months.. but all these jabs may not be good for long term health.
Thoughts anyone ?

For me my decision on when to get vaccinated really depends on when the last time I got vaccinated. In my case, it was 5 months since my last booster, and most of the data shows that efficacy against infection is virtually non-existent at that point. Moderna is a good choice as it has the greatest efficacy against Omicron symptomatic infection. In my case as I'm travelling a lot long haul over the next 3 months to Honolulu, Toronto, and San Francisco, and Glasgow, it made sense to get the protection now rather than roll the dice.

I would rather take a couple of jabs and some protection measures and not get COVID rather than roll the dice here. We still don't know what the long term effects of this virus are, particularly for those immunocompromised such as myself. People love to talk about the wonders of natural immunity, but I can assure you natural immunity stinks. It's why my immune system is attacking my GI tract everyday.

In terms of next booster for yours truly, we'll have to see. No doubt there will be new variants and challenges, to say nothing of new vaccines being released down the pipeline. I'd love to have to stop taking all these precautions and vaccines but again, better safe than sorry!

-RooFlyer88

 

[clifford]

However, when I woke up on Wednesday I wasn't feeling so grand: fever, headache, chills. As before, I decided not to take Tylenol or any pain relief and just push through with it, since I've read somewhere that allowing your body to go through with the normal immune response is best. Woke up today and felt about 90% back to where I was on Tuesday.

-RooFlyer88

Sorry to hear that.

My wife and I had the 4th jab (Moderna) last week and felt the best we had after any jab. Luck of the draw I guess...

 

[drron]

Well I reached the time where I could have Dose 4 this week but I am leaving it until about 3 weeks before we go cruising in August. I am going to ask for Novavax as well. However last week I had my flu shot which I think is more important right now.
The results for the third dose are not fantastic. by 3 months little efficacy against infection and hospitalisation though still less likely to have severe disease.

https://dgalerts.docguide.com/ncov-home/article/study-finds-third-dose-bnt162b2-vaccine-protection-against-sars-cov-2-outcomes-including-hospitalisation-from-omicron-wanes-after-3-months

Israeli results after 4th dose not very encouraging.

Fourth dose of COVID vaccine offers only slight boost against Omicron infection

Israeli trial shows a fourth vaccination raises antibody levels but provides little extra protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

www.nature.com

And protection against infection starts waning after 4 weeks, though protection against severe illness lasted until the study concluded which was 6 weeks after the 4th dose. And the study was only in those over 60 so really no evidence why healthy folk aged <60 should have a 4th dose.
As for us old folk as I said I will leave it until I am most at risk.

 

[clifford]

As for us old folk as I said I will leave it until I am most at risk.

Absolutely. I have three domestic trips next month, so reasonably appropriate to have 4th last week.

Looking at the USA, Europe and Middle East in Oct, so the 5th jab just before that (J&J or Novavax?).

 

[mviy]

I am planning to have a fourth before heading overseas. Will probably have it a few weeks or so before my next overseas trip in the middle of the year. I’ll probably have about a 5 month gap between my 3rd and 4th jabs. I don’t want COVID to disrupt my trips.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Israeli results after 4th dose not very encouraging.

Fourth dose of COVID vaccine offers only slight boost against Omicron infection

Israeli trial shows a fourth vaccination raises antibody levels but provides little extra protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

www.nature.com

And protection against infection starts waning after 4 weeks, though protection against severe illness lasted until the study concluded which was 6 weeks after the 4th dose. And the study was only in those over 60 so really no evidence why healthy folk aged <60 should have a 4th dose.
As for us old folk as I said I will leave it until I am most at risk.

I remain skeptical of the vaccine studies out of Israel. They did a lot of things right in the rollout including being amongst the first to get virtually everyone vaccinated. However, their decision to remain loyal to one vaccine (Pfizer) seems to biting them in the rear. We have very little data at the moment for people who received 4 doses and had a mix of everything. For instance, would someone who had AstraZeneca for their first two doses then had a Pfizer booster followed by a Moderna booster fare any better?

Another potential confound with the study is how all of this impacts people who are healthier who could thus mount a stronger immune response. Would they have longer lasting immunity from these vaccines? I say this as a 30-something immunocompromised individual who arguably has the most to gain from vaccinations.

-RooFlyer88

 

[drron]

The thing about Israel is that they did a deal with Pfizer to get early supplies of the vaccine. The price was that they had not only to idemnify Pfizer but also to supply Pfizer with the medical details of those who got the Pfizer vaccine. If there were great results I'm sure we would have heard from Pfizer by now.

 

[lovestotravel]

Had my booster/3rd shot simply for the EU rules

I have no interest in further vaccinations

 

[Major]

Had my 4th jab (Moderna) yesterday. This also gives me Az-Az_Pf-Mod.

No side effects from any of the jabs except for a sore arm last night.

Now, I hope I am done and dusted.

 

[Yearlylonghaul]

Had #4 today, flying to UK Sunday week. Have had Pf-Pf-Mod-Mod. Only side effects from any shots were on the first Pf, when I had a mild headache a few hours after the vaccine. No other side effects whatsoever.
I spaced out the times of my vaccines so that I could get my #4 about 10 days before planned trip.

 

[Lat34]

Team Lat34 both had #4 last Thursday plus the flu shot for good measure, in opposite arms.
Zero side effects other than slight sore arms at all injection sites for two days. Same experience from all vax shots with tally so far AZ, AZ, Moderna, Pfizer.
Flying to Thailand for sailing regatta next month.

 

[Lynda2475]

So for those holding out for Novovax for their booster, its much easier said than done.

My elderly parents had their 4th dose (AZ, AZ, PZ, PZ) this past week after having their flu vax a fortnight ago; my Dad asked their GP about Novovax, GP said he had placed an order 6 months ago to have some on hand for practice patients that had issues with mrna but had yet to receive a single dose.

Their GP is really well networked and does not know of a single GP practice in greater Sydney who has received any novovax doses at all (as he had been trying to refer). He had 2 patients who had issues with AZ who were waiting for Novovax and the only way he could get them dosed was to write a referral explaining medical reason why they needed Novovax then send them to the state run vax centre. It seems you cant just easily walk in and get Novovax anywhere.

 

[Pushka]

So for those holding out for Novovax for their booster, its much easier said than done.

My elderly parents had their 4th dose (AZ, AZ, PZ, PZ) this past week after having their flu vax a fortnight ago; my Dad asked their GP about Novovax, GP said he had placed an order 6 months ago to have some on hand for practice patients that had issues with mrna but had yet to receive a single dose.

Their GP is really well networked and does not know of a single GP practice in greater Sydney who has received any novovax doses at all (as he had been trying to refer). He had 2 patients who had issues with AZ who were waiting for Novovax and the only way he could get them dosed was to write a referral explaining medical reason why they needed Novovax then send them to the state run vax centre. It seems you cant just easily walk in and get Novovax anywhere.

SIL works in a Vaccination clinic in Adelaide and stated the Novavax take-up for initial doses has been very poor.

 

[Lynda2475]

SIL works in a Vaccination clinic in Adelaide and stated the Novavax take-up for initial doses has been very poor.

Well if you make it difficult to access then people give up.

 

[Pushka]

Well if you make it difficult to access then people give up.

It's very easy to attend vaccination clinics in SA. Walk in and appointments and plenty of free parking. Lots of promotions. No excuses for those who were using this as a reason not to get the original three.

 

[Lynda2475]

Totally agree it is very easy to get vaccinated if you want an MRNA (PZ or Moderna) or AZ, but it is not easy to find and access Novovax.

If GPs could get their Novovax orders fulfilled then the oldies who wont get an MRNA would have easier access. Pharmacies also not offering anywhere i could find when my Dad asked me to look. Maybe Novovax is more plentiful in SA.

 

[Black Duck]

The Terry White Chemist seem to be doing Novovax as a 4th shot. It's on their website and I did query with my local one by phone. They said yes just book. Not quite ready for it yet. I haven't checked on branches in NSW.

 

[JessicaTam]

The Amcal in Sale had Novovax last week. They have had it for a while I believe.

 

[OZDUCK]

We had our 'winter booster' today and so have now had the trifecta of vaccines - AZ, Pfizer & Moderna. Our trip to Germany is in about 10 weeks and we had been holding off a little bit to get closer to then. However the odds are that we will almost certainly be exposed to the virus here well before the trip so went for the booster. Our daughter tested positive yesterday but we hadn't seen her or the grandkids since Saturday. She had lots of aches and pains yesterday but today it is apparently just sniffles and the like - she has been boosted.