Covid vaccination types - no option to choose - help!

[luthien]

So it's finally my time to have a vaccination, yay!

I've been reading about vaccinations, ttc and pregnancy; it seems to be that if you're pregnant or possibly pregnant you should only have the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. I'm under 40 so I should be offered those anyway (not Astrazeneca according to the government, BMJ and JVCI)

No where on the booking system does it ask anything about which one you want / need. So do I just turn up on the day for my appointment and hope to be given one of the above? Mine has been booked at a local clinic so not the big vaccination center (that's over 50 minutes drive away).

What have you done?

[Running79]

Hi

My family have had their vaccines and just booked, you don’t get a choice of vaccine.

My sister is 30 so I’ve already said to her she can’t have the AZ one, do she’ll have to point that out when she gets there.

I’m currently 13 weeks so won’t be having it until after the birth

[Llizzie in reply to Running79]

Hi there, you do get a choice. Anyone under 40 should not get AZ and is entitled to have an alternative. The JVCI has loads of information on its website on what why and how.

[Running79 in reply to Llizzie]

I’ve decided not to have it as there is not enough data as to its effects on the child. It hasn’t been around long enough for that. I’m 41, so if not pregnant wouldn’t get a choice

Out of the 90,000 woman in the US only 900 babies have been born, so again I feel the data is somewhat very thin so will wait

[Llizzie in reply to Running79]

That’s your personal decision. What I wanted to clear up was the wrong information about vaccine choice. AZ is not being offered to under 40s (they raised the age limit) and those of us who have attended a vaccine appointment should be able to share our experiences if it contradicts the information provided by someone who has not attended a vaccine appointment.

There are a a lot of scared and worried women on this forum. I too wrangled with my decision to have a vaccine, so I think it’s right they are offered points of view based on others’ experience rather than assumptions. It was not intended as a critique of your decision but it’s important to me that we share information based on experience and up to date information from scientific experts and regulators. It helped me come to a decision that was right for me, as it has you.

I’ve had the vaccine while having IVF and therefore wanted to offer a counter view.

Congratulations and best of luck with your pregnancy.

[Running79 in reply to Llizzie]

I think you have completely mis read my post!!

I haven’t mentioned the ages of my family who have had it for starters, they are all over the age of 40, and arn’t pregnant so don’t get a choice!

I’ve already said that my sister who is 30 won’t be able to have the AZ, again if you read my post, so although I haven’t had it, I’m probably a lot more clued up then most!!

You mention science there isn’t enough science on it yet it’s only been out since January - that is why all the information you read it states there is no specific data!

Im not really sure what people need to be scared or worried about! everyone has freedom of choice they either have it or they don’t.

[Llizzie in reply to Running79]

And I think you’ve misread mine. Best of luck.

[soccerkt6]

Hi lovely, I called the clinic on the morning of my appointment and they confirmed that they weren’t offering AZ to anyone under 40 and that Pfizer was what was being administered that day. You won’t be able to request a specific vaccine over the phone, but it will at least put your mind at ease if you know your clinic has Pfizer/Moderna in stock that day.

You’ll be able to tell the person who administers your vaccine the reason for your wanting the Pfizer/Moderna one, but honestly you prob won’t have to. My guess is you’ll get it by default because of your age xx

[Purpledoggy]

I think it is only under 30s who are not offered AZ. Did you book using the NHS online system? It specifically asks if you are pregnant and will then only show you sites with Pfizer/Moderna, so if you answered yes then it will not offer you anywhere with AZ. xx

[Purpledoggy in reply to Purpledoggy]

Actually it is not offered to under 40s, as stated above, I misspoke. It definitely asks if you are pregnant though as I went onto it 2 days ago to see how long the wait was for a pregnancy-appropriate one. xx

[luthien in reply to Purpledoggy]

Thanks for your replies.

I booked through my GP text message system as I know they would have closer clinic locations. The only thing it asked for is my date of birth and then went straight to the location (only one, so no choices), with two dates coming up (various times).

The NHS system I know for our area will only give us one about 50 mins drive away which is quite far, it has no other locations.

[Purpledoggy in reply to luthien]

Ah that’s a bummer. When I tried to book one earlier I called the centre I wanted to book in directly and they put me through to the local CCG COVID vaccine hotline, who knew where had which jab. Worth a shot xx

[RhinoCat]

I only knew what each vaccine centre by friends and family who had attended. Can’t you ask people where they went and which one they had and then you can pick the centre from that?

[luthien in reply to RhinoCat]

We're in a different location to most of my friends, so different catchment areas based on GP locations.

There's only one NHS based centre (50 mins drive away) and only one GP led centre, no other options or choices.

[RhinoCat in reply to luthien]

Could you ask your gp what to do or where to go and get Pfizer? The surgery won’t have Pfizer. Only centres near cold storage places

[Mycatsaremykids in reply to RhinoCat]

I thought my GP led unit wouldn’t be able to offer Pfizer due to the cold storage requirements but they did. I guess they must have worked out the logistics.

[luthien in reply to Mycatsaremykids]

The recent changes mean Pfizer can now be stored in a normal freezer for 30 days:

telegraph.co.uk/global-heal...

I'm sure this is based on another article but I cannot find it with a quick search at the moment. I think it was something to do with it needing to be approved to be stored and used at certain clinics.

[soccerkt6 in reply to luthien]

I got my vaccine through a GP-led centre and it was Pfizer

[luthien in reply to soccerkt6]

Thanks, that's good to know, I can relax a little now.

I booked it all and then had a panic of I'm not booked in for the right one, how will I know, what if I don't have a choice! All good, panic over!

[RhinoCat in reply to luthien]

Super! I’d be giving the gp a call to see! 😘

[Mycatsaremykids]

If you are under 40 you should automatically get the right jab. If you have booked through your GP you could call them and check. At my GP led vaccination centre they told me which one I was having before they did it so you would be able to pull out if they were offering the wrong jab.

[luthien in reply to Mycatsaremykids]

I shall check in a few days

[Llizzie]

The recommendation is that under 40s are offered an alternative. I got Pfizer. You can either call your GP or rock up to the clinic and see what they have and I’m almost certainly it will be Pfizer and if not you can explain you want an alternative. I don’t know anyone under 40 who has been offered AZ.

Most seem to have transferred across from AZ unless they’re doing second doses. I had mine five days before starting stims and felt fine. x

[Haf05]

This is probably "cheating", but I ticked the box saying I was pregnant, knowing it would direct me to the places that offer Pfizer. It worked. I then phoned up one of the places and they confirmed they only offered Pfizer. I figure that if my FET goes well, then i will be pregnant by the time i get my second jab, so not a total lie!

[luthien in reply to Haf05]

The GP text hence GP led clinics questions don't ask about pregnancy. It's only the general NHS text for the larger clinics which have that question.

[Legallyblonde39]

Hi I was supposed to get my vaccine on Monday of last week. They tried to give me astrazeneca but I explained I was under 40 and about to start ivf. They rearranged my appt for Sunday and I got the Pfizer! So far no side effects!

[strawberriesandcream]

I went on Saturday and they automatically put in the Pfizer queue .. must be age related as I’m 34. There were other people getting Oxford but they were older. I think the system only shows you places that can cater for the vaccine you need based on the criteria you put in eg dob xx

[Jay0]

Hi, I thought the same thing so called 119 and they confirmed only clinics offering Pfizer or Moderna would show for those under 40. I’ll still check to be sure when I get there just in case they are also offering AZ at the centre. I’m sure everything will be fine though and they’ll check your name and age so you’re in the right queue!

[Hidden]

I'm 39 and had the Pfizer a few days ago booked via NHS online booking