Well, Sam’s Club was a bust. We wanted Moderna and that’s what the website said they had. Unfortunately, something was wrong with their Moderna shipment. They had received it, but had received a call from Moderna telling them not to use it. They didn’t bother to tell us this until after we drove there, waited our turn, and started filling out the paperwork. They offered us Pfizer instead, but we would prefer the higher dose of Moderna. Oh well, we will make another attempt on Tuesday at Walgreens.
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Got my Pfizer this morning - I’ve had both Pfizer and Moderna in the past, and had covid for the first and only time in December 2022.
With each of them I typically feel kind of terrible about 8 hours later, and it lasts for just one day and then I’m 100% fine. But today, just two hours later I’ve got that slow molasses feeling and a bit of a headache. Ah well - glad to get it, especially with Parents Weekend in 3 weeks!
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Anyone know if I should get vaccine soon or wait a couple of months given the following:
We were out of the country in September. I had what seemed like allergy symptoms. Husband got a minor “cold” our last couple of days.
We both tested when we got home. He had COVID, I did not.
I’m wondering if my “allergies” were really COVID, but didn’t register by the time I tested.
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Hard to know if you really had COVID-19 at that time.
Possible ways that may indicate:
- If a PCR test shows positive, but you are certain you do not currently have COVID-19, that could indicate a recent infection with the PCR test showing false positive on dead virus for up to a few months afterward. Of course, a PCR test could be showing positive in the very early stages of a current infection.
- If you get a positive nucleocapsid antibody test, and have not had a whole virus vaccine (not used in the US), then you had COVID-19 some time in the past. But it may not necessarily have been within the last month.
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I asked my Dr (who is a gerontologist) about the RSV shot. She’s pretty conservative about things so I thought she’d say to get it. Nope. She said that since I don’t have a history of lung problems to only get it if I’m around children under 6 months old. I thought about that and figured that would be to protect the child, not really me, as children under 6 months can’t get a vaccination (although their mothers can while pregnant). So I won’t get it.
I would have if I was still teaching or working with CASA kids (germ factories) but I’m not really around many kids any more (because of COURSE I have no grandchildren!).
I started getting flu shots 27 years ago because my daughter was a micropreemie and it wasn’t that I’d die from the flu but she could have. She also got the antibodies for RSV when they were first out (she was in the original study).
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Phew! My pharmacist texted me that he ran out of covid vaccine the other day and no eta for more. We were scheduled to get shots from him on Monday. I called around for several hours—hnl and SF (where we are currently visiting), but couldn’t find anything. Today I tried again to re-book and was able to get appts for Monday at a place 20 minutes from our house. It took some dong but glad to have it scheduled—Moderna.
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I have the same symptoms. It hits me hard, but ends at 24 hrs, almost to the minute. It did seem a bit worse with Pfizer, but that was my first series. My boosters were Moderna.
I try to keep up with the news but am wondering where I missed that Pfizer is now calling their vaccine, Comirnaty.
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My wife and I both got Pfizer shots last night…went to bed a bit early last night, and I am definitely a bit tired today (not uncommon for the weekend) but feeling much better today. Although my arm is more sore after this round than before, but I am assuming that has more to do with the administration of the shot than anything else.
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Any consensus on which to choose- Pfizer or Moderna?
My last booster was Moderna.
When the vaccines got regular (instead of emergency use) authorization by the US FDA, they began to be called by their brand names (Comirnaty and Spikevax) in the US. But most people still use the company names Pfizer and Moderna instead.
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Wow, then I am really out of it. For some reason I thought it was new for this set of vaccines.
Some considerations when choosing between different brands: Covid -- Additional Booster? - #243 by ucbalumnus . (Obviously, if you have had known allergies or adverse effects to one brand but not the other, the choice becomes more important.)
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When I was getting my booster last year, right before they gave the injection I realized my shoulders were up around my ears (because I’m nervous with needles), so I told myself “relax!” and dropped my shoulders.
So it was entirely my fault that I lowered my shoulder a good two inches and without warning, and the shot went in very high! It was so very sore the next day - I couldn’t sleep on it, it hurt terribly, and I chalk it up to the placement as none of the others were anything like that for me. 
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Called the pharmacy where I have rescheduled my shot. They said they aren’t sure whether they will have enough vaccine so please call again before coming on Monday. I also booked shots at their competitor, who says they have the vaccine in stock. If we can get it at 1st appt, will just get it there & cancel our later appt, otherwise will get shot at competitor.
Totally agree with issues from too high of a placement of the shot. I’ve noted this in some of my posts - I’m used to a sore arm, but my first Shingrex was horrible and my arm nearly paralyzed for days. That shot was much higher in the shoulder than others. Since then, I specifically request the shot be done as low as allowed and my next three (second Shingrex, pneumonia, and bivalent booster) were all considerably less of an issue than my usual.
I also have booked two appointments for us since Sam’s had issues with their Moderna batch and could only offer Pfizer when we went to our first appointment there. From what I have read on a local Facebook group, wait times once people arrive at their appointments are long. Our pharmacies are very understaffed and there have been pharmacists having walkouts due to working conditions.
Our Walgreens does have a pharmacist only on a part time basis. So, appointments are limited, and can only be made 6 days ahead of time on line. Wait time is around 30 -45 minutes consistently when we show up at the Walgreens we always go to. I schedule mine and H’s 15 minutes apart and they do them at the same sitting. They are pleasant there and it’s an easy drive out in the country.
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Gotta love rural Maine. We had no problem getting appointments and were the only ones there when we showed up, in and out quickly (they didn’t make us wait for 15 minutes after).
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H and I got our shots (Moderna) tonight at CVS. I made the appointments on Friday, for a location 15 minutes from us. The several CVS stores that are closer had nothing available. We were in and out within 10 minutes - no line, no wait. 6:45 pm on Sunday. Philly suburbs.
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Call me skeptical. (<20% got the bivalent booster, <half of seniors)
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