Hi there, interested to hear how many of you were vaccinated early, ie prioritised due to immuno-suppression?
(im being vaccinated with general population my age, despite PMR, pred +celecoxib )
PMR and covid vaccine priority: Hi there... - PMRGCAuk
PMR and covid vaccine priority
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Cyclo5
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I was vaccinated with my age group 65 to 70 but right at the start of the group alongside my 65 year old husband who like me is type 2 diabetic.
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer
Were you on the clinically vulnerable or extremely clinically vulnerable list and told to shield on the original lockdown?
If not, then that’s probably the reason why you haven’t been called as yet.
Your profile doesn’t say, but I’m guessing you’re in UK.
Hopefully it will be soon, they seem to be getting through the age ranges at a good pace - certainly in some places.
Immuno-Suppressed due to long term Pred, Methotrexate & heart/kidney issues so have been classed as Shielded since Lockdown - so was Vaccinated a bit earlier not by much really in our area.
Had first vaccine(Astra Zeneca) last Sunday- on low dose prednisolone for PMR, no other meds, over 60s group. Husband had his a month ago(Pfizer) , similar age but mild asthma. Starting on the under 6Os now in this area. Daughter in front line health care has had both Pfizer jag. UK.
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I'm not in the UK and we didn't have a CEV classification and no shielding as such - stay at home if you are over 65 basically. But there is no online supermarket shopping here - if you didn't have family locally you could have starved! At one point there were charitable groups who provided a shopping service.
However, I and my husband have had our jabs early as I assume GPs were asked for a list of patients they thought needed to get their jabs asap. She rang us on Friday afternoon to ask if we wanted the jab (what a silly question!), the hospital rang on Sat am and the jabs were in the first 3 hours of the Monday session in the last week of the over 80s living at home, just before registration for appointments for over 75s started. Neither of us are 70 yet but OH is very very CEV and I probably counted as carer.
Sounds a long way behind - but all medical and healthcare staff were done first, irrespective of age, then teachers and other essential workers while they worked through over 80s in care homes then other care home residents. And the biggest problem has been deliveries of vaccine of all sorts.
Same in Canada. Vaccine supplies are not as expected.
Well in our case it's our own fault for losing our ability to manufacture vaccines. We actually have a vaccine in the pipeline which is expected to be equivalent to Moderna and the gov only recently gave useful support so they could proceed more quickly. Plus the Medicago vaccine which is practically ready to be approved but the manufacturing in Canada is severely restricted so I suppose anything manufactured in the US (which years ago funded this Quebec based company when the Canadian gov refused to) will have to stay there until the US is completely vaccinated. Do you suppose the gov has learned it's lesson? I wouldn't bet on it!
I hope so. Total goof. USA is holding all vaccines (even those not approved like AstraZeneca) until all USA is vaccinated. So we could use the AstraZeneca that is sitting a couple of 100 km south of our border in a warehouse. But not gonna happen. Drat.
Most appear not to!!! However - the new head of government here isn't really a politician and has already commited to having our own vaccine development and manufacturing - they are already manufacturing the AZ vaccine here but were supposed to send it to Oz despite AZ being in arrears wih their contract for the EU. Of course that led to uproar ...
We had a really amazing company, Connaught Laboratories. A couple of governments allowed this to be privatized and eventually it was closed, and the opposition when in power did nothing to reverse the trend. I don't suppose the general public knew what was happening until this pandemic. Then we learned we weren't even able to make our own PPE let alone manufacture the quantities of vaccine required, even though we appear to still have top notch research.
I am so concerned that all the lessons we are being taught during this time are falling on deaf ears in haste to "return to normal".
I read in the Globe and Mail today the lab in Winnipeg is being accelerated. Fingers crossed.
Yes. And Medicago already had a Canadian facility under construction which is finally getting gov funding so they are able to speed things up. Really it's disgraceful that a rich country like Canada was so ill-prepared, despite ample warning over the last few years that a pandemic of some kind was inevitable. Do you suppose we got complacent because the original SARS outbreak got contained so quickly? Although there was a terrible toll on hospital workers it didn't really spread into the community.
Our friends in Lombardy had theirs ten days ago...they are in their 60s with no underlying conditions.
Lombardy was prioritised - and maybe they are under 65 so eligible now for the AZ vaccine?
No...definitely over 65...but no idea which vaccine they received...of course I realise now it is headline news that that is of more interest at the moment, but hopefully there is nothing wrong & full vaccination programme will resume everywhere! S x
A lot of it is to try to reassure the exceedingly vaccine-sceptical proportion of the population. But the cases do seem to have come in bursts rather than odd cases here and there which you might expect if it is just the usual incidence of such clots.
I agree...but possibly if you looked into incidences of heart attack, for example only, you would find lots in say first four weeks after vaccine...but nothing connected to vaccine, they were going to happen anyway?! Just my thoughts!
Oh absolutely right and the small number they have had reported is probably far less than normal without the vaccine. But there are clusters and a few very rare things ...
I am in UK. CEV and vaccinated with my age group which also included the CEV. It was pretty soon after they announced they were calling that age group. Supply of vaccine is what is holding things up here.
In Ontario Canada, I was told by my doctors office, on Thursday last week, there is no early vaccine for immunocompromised people. Going strictly by age. Currently they are finishing up 80 and over.
Same in Nova Scotia, Told it would slow down distribution even more if they had to select from all the groups clamouring to be head of the line. So it's front line health care workers and others involved in caring for the long term care residents, plus those residents themselves, and they are only just now starting to vaccinate those 80+ in general population. But we are expecting more vaccines in the coming weeks so things are looking up. My daughter in Ontario works for public health, although not front line, and is now eligible! She's happy but feels guilty. Her partner works in a factory so not at end of line, but still will have a longish wait. Our CMO ticked off the police who wanted to get priority pointing out they got sick in the office, not in front line duties!
I am having vaccine envy. Younger friends having AstraZeneca this week. Ages 60 to 65. I am 73. So not young enough. Not old enough. Lol. Next month? Fingers crossed.
Same here, I'm also 73 and the Astra Zeneca offered to 63-64 years olds. We are getting hardly any so it's very restricted. At the rate things have been going it will be ages before they get to my cohort so I hope things speed up soon. Hubby had a covid test this week (negative) which irritated me no end because of the timing. I missed everything in my week, except a Zoom meeting, including a meal with son and his family (new grandbaby). Didn't have to stay in, thankfully, but only outside for fresh air and exercise, no shopping or meetups even with bubble.
Canada is supposed to be getting lots in the next 4 weeks. Fingers crossed. I know Anita Anand (we used to live in Oakville where she is MP). She has been trying very hard. But competition is fierce. Best solution: Open up Canadian manufacturing. Like in the 1980s.
Medicago already had a facility under construction pre-pandemic, but it won't be ready this year. I think new gov funding is helping them speed up, though. Of course we don't yet know how effective their version of the vaccine is as it's not the same as either Pfizer and Moderna or Astra-Zeneca.
Also I think it's Providence Therapeutics which has the other Canadian frontrunner, and I believe they've also received funding finally to proceed with manufacture as well as speed up research capability. That was the vaccine which was neck and neck with Moderna but stymied by lack of funding and low gov support early on.
I don't know - a lot of police caught it during front line duties with toerags who coughed over them or spat at them ...
Not here. The only police workers who caught it are in an office setting and hadn't been observing proper protocols. It's quite difficult to catch covid in Nova Scotia because the case load is really low. Could be a completely different story in a place with high case numbers.
You do wonder what goes on in the heads of people like that.
This happened to my son A front line policeman and unfortunately he passed it to his entire family , just because A little darling spat in his face , this is why I’ve petitioned for them to be included in high priority group x
Awful.
If you are 60-64 years old please take advantage of the Astra Zeneca vaccine. I’m in Ontario snd did get it - anyway you lost likely know all this I just thought I’d say it just in case. 😀
I am too old and too young. 73. Lol.
I live in rural Ontario. Safe where I am. I can wait 4 weeks. Been waiting 52 already. We all need the vaccine eventually.
Now that USA is vaccinating at a phenomenal rate, I am sure the border will be open in a few months. We had a conservative government in the 80s that thought Canada did not need its own vaccine manufacturers. Wrong. It will be remedied.
You know it doesn't make any sense for that border to be open to the general public yet. As it is millions of trips have taken place across the border in the past year, many of them truckers bringing goods across, notably food to Canadians. But also health care workers travelling from Canada to places like Detroit where they work. Where I live cases for many months have nearly all been related to travel or close contact with a person who travelled. Hence the need for border control and quarantine. We are such a small and relatively poor jurisdiction the kind of rampant transmission of disease as seen in parts of the US (and in certain places in Canada) would wipe us out in short order.
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Doing drugs or executing criminal damage usually ...
PMRproAmbassador
Not half as outraged as some were when the Schengen countries started closing borders to their neighbours unless it was workers. And even greater outrage that they couldn't go skiing. But the less said about that the better - don't care what anyone says, cable cars and mountain restaurants make amazing little incubators!
The Alaska Highway goes through Canada, of course, and we had a lot of problems early on with people promising to drive straight through, only they didn't. They would stop in places like Banff and Jasper and have holidays on the way....
And our too rich Canadian couple who chartered a plane, flew from Vancouver to a remote Yukon town, pretended to work in the local hotel to get vaccines. Busted. Outrageous privilege. Getting in front of elders in an indigenous community. Grrrrr. They have a house in Collingwood, near where we live in Ontario. Court date coming up.
The only reason we weren't overwhelmed in Atlantic Canada was because we closed our border even to the rest of Canada. We are the New Zealand of North America.
And, oh yes, I don't think even 2% of Canadians have beem vaccinated, only place with better result is, deliberately, the far north where there is so little access to any kind of medical care and people tend to live in close quarters. Personally I don't want to see the border completely ropened until 70% of population in both countries is fully vaccinated.
I was lucky and received the AstraZeneca jab on friday. They are doing a trial project in Toronto using pharmacies to give the vaccines. You had to be 60-65 to get it. The rest of the rollout is a nightmare. They have done healthcare etc and have just started giving vaccines to people over 80. We are so far behind.
I think PEI and the far North are the only places that are "ahead" in the country. Canada will catch up. Just think a year ago we didn't know if a vaccine could even be developed and now millions of people all over the world have been receiving shots!
The US is all over the board with who qualifies, which states, counties and cities are getting what vaccines and who qualifies. Generally speaking, health care workers were first, then frontline workers (police, EMS), teachers, then 65 and older with co-morbidities (but guidelines missed so many rare diseases). Some cities and counties would do mass vaccines for a wide range of folks, others you couldn't qualify - a mess. Now it is changing as massive amounts of vaccine are being shipped around the country, mainly since our change in administration. Tech savy folks with a desire to help have created "hunter" groups to find who is offering vaccines and are helping get seniors signed up online since every pharmacy, health department or group has a different way to sign up online (or by phone). I've enjoyed ferreting out vaccines for everyone I can as it doesn't appear to work well to register then wait to be notified (too many are still waiting to be notified when they can just get an appointment right away on a pharmacy website). Our state (Michigan) opens up for everyone to get a vaccine as of April 5th and I'll be so happy since even though I could get vaccines for so many, I could not for my twin sons as they didn't qualify. We have more and more Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines being shipped now and the goal is to have vaccines available to the entire U.S. by May 1st. If only everyone would get it! Sadly too many refuse.
Nothing early with mine, just age related.
If you’re in the UK, call your GP and specialist as you qualify for early vaccination on those meds. If the US, it looks like it’s variable from speaking with it friends. I’m heading that many in the US are getting “end of day” extra shots if they call around places. It’s one option if you are up for that. Some are, some aren’t.
Sorry but that’s not correct in the UK. It depends on the dosage if you’re considered clinically extremely vulnerable/clinically vulnerable and eligible for early vaccination before your age group or not.
Yes, classified as clinically extremely vulnerable and had first dose at kings in march
I'm in the UK and I had the Pfizer in early Feb but I work in the NHS so was in the first wave. My husband is 56 with Asthma and Heart problems and he had the Oxford in late Feb. Our GP sent us both a text offering the vaccine as we are both in our 50's we assumed it was more due to our health conditions. They do seem to be getting through them at an astronomical rate, the vaccinators are working their butt's off. They are amazing people !!!!
I am 56 yrs been on steroids for 6 yrs PMR on low dose now wasn’t told to shield had vaccination last Saturday 13/3/21 hopefully you will be called soon
I’m 63 and think my GP surgery called me while still doing the 65-70 year olds. They said my husband 64 could have his at the time. So I’ve now had Pfizer (4 weeks ago) and he had AZ about 10 days ago. Covering all bases!
I had my jab as per age not as per meds just as per normal age bracket
I was vaccinated early due to being classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, I’m on Pred, Leflunomide and Tocilizumab.
I was - I received a text from my GP saying is been put in group 6 because of my steroids instead of group 7
Me too. I have mates younger than me who ate fit who have been done before me. You feel a bit left out.
Me too. I think there’s a particular problem in our area just now so you’re not alone!
I'm 45 on low dose pred and am due the first dose in 2 weeks time - so in my area at least they seem to be getting through the age groups fairly quickly
Hi, I am un Group 9 (UK) and I am going to have my first jab on Wednesday. PMR did not influence my place in the vaccine queue, but I am on 4mg and I have no comorbidities.
as well as PMR I have asthma, a heart problem, pre-diabetes and osteoarthritis but was not prioritised.I got my vaccine alongside others over 70. My husband has heart disease, following a stroke and has diabetes. He has JUST been sent a letter to say he is extremely clinically venerable. He got his shot alongside other 80 yr. olds in January,
Did you receive a letter from the Government to say you were clinically vulnerable ( I got mine at Lockdown 2 as I had been diagnosed with PMR by then) if not you will not be on the tier 3 list. I received my vaccine before my daughter who has stage 4 Triple Negative Breast Cancer! I spoke to the doctor while I was having mine & they called her in two of days later.
I was vaccinated early as I was put on the extremely clinically vulnerable list by my GP. Diagnosed with PMR last June. started on 15 mg pred. Now down to 6.5. I am 66 and live in the uk.
I'm 48 and in UK. I got my astra zenica vaccine about 10 days ago. I am not eligible other than pmr (10mg prednisolone), and high blood pressure. What happened was- the surgery phoned to offer my husband the vaccine and I asked "what about me?". So, I got it on the basis of, if you dont ask, you dont get.
I was vaccinated early, but not due to PMR as I’m not on 4mg steroids now. I have a number of other medical issues! I’m 64, & in England. It depends on whether you were officially shielded here, really, plus your age, plus any mix of conditions that your GP feels makes you more susceptible to catching covid, & then ‘dealing’ badly with it, I reckon!
I am extremely vulnerable and told to shield. I am 71 and was vaccinated with my age group. I await my second jab
I was vaccinated in the CEV group by my GP about 3 weeks ago.
Although having PMR and kidney disease I have never received a shielding letter and had my vaccination at the same time as my age group
Just received mine today after maw, paw and the dug being done in my famly before me. NHS Lanarkshire clearly do not consider me to be a priority. I've reduced from 50 mg to 7mg. 8.15 in the morning. So there is also no intelligence used about who we are and what conditions we have otherwise it would have avoided the morning. My head does not start to function until 12 onwards.
Had second Pfizer shot on March 3. No ill effects from either one.
People with autoimmune conditions or who take immunity suppression medication (pred), in Ontario, Canada are in Phase two of the vaccine rollout which begins in April.
Hi ! I’m Canadian! So a lot of PMR patients would fall into the 60-64 year old group so hopefully they are getting their vaccination now! I did ! Very relieved to have it too!
Where in Canada are you located?
Yes. The world over most people are wonderful.
Hi 🙋♀️ I just had my vaccination on Saturday March 13. AstraZeneca. Part of Canada allowing us 60-64 year olds to jump in and use up soon to be expired vaccine. I have PMR for about 2 years now and tapered to 5mg. I had a fever, and chills, felt tired but it cleared up within 24 hours.
Anyway that’s my experience 😃
I have GCA, not PMR, but no early call-up, just in age bracket. So have had first.
My wife and I are late-50s. I am due to have my second jab before she has her first. I was put on the UK Shielding List throughout Covid due to prednisolone usage.
I have PMR although haven't seen a doctor since mid summer, not that interested in my surgey. I am on pred ( have had PMR before for about 4/5 years which was more typical than this time, which I basically managed on my own by being a member of PMRGCASouth West and being part of the admin team!)) I had my vaccination with my age group - I am 76yrs
I was vaccinated early but for COPD, which I also have, not for PMR etc
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