Bivalent vaccine?

[sangtarah]

Will you get the new bivalent vaccine with the omicron strain?

My last booster was last winter, same for my teenagers. I think we will get the new one, but I’m not sure. 

(If there is already a discussion on this, please direct me to it) 

[ktgrok]

Yup. I need to check when I had Covid, as I want to space it 3 months after that, but yes. DH will as well, before he travels for work again. At some point the kids will as well, but they just had boosters so not for a while. 

[mommyoffive]

YES!  For sure.  We all will.

[Matryoshka]

YES.

[Xahm]

My preschooler just got it! (Study participant). No side affects at all, but he didn't have any for the original either.

[wendyroo]

DH and I (and two of the kids) are just getting over covid now, so we will probably get the new bivalent booster sometime in November (2.5ish months after covid). My 13 year old has so far avoided covid, so he will get the bivalent soon, probably in the next couple weeks at the same time as his flu shot. The other kids are all too young so far, but will when it is available to them.

[MercyA]

Yes, all of us. Thank God for a new vaccine.

[Harriet Vane]

Yes, most definitely. I'll time it for optimal protection for the holidays and ds' wedding. And I thank God that they continue to refine new tools to keep us alive and thriving amid this wretched scourge.

[KSera]

Absolutely. It’s been about ten months since my booster. I’m wondering if anyone has seen anything helpful in trying to make the Pfizer versus Moderna decision. There’s so little info to go on. So far from what I’ve seen, it seems like Moderna causes a bigger initial antibody boost, but it starts reducing by a month out, whereas Pfizer has a much smaller initial increase but it’s not as decreased by a month out. I need to find where I saw the study again because it was on my phone and I need to see if the Pfizer decrease was smaller only because it started out not boosting as high, or if the net antibody increase at one month was still higher. Very interested in anything anyone else has found about this. I sure wish I felt like I could wait for the clinical data, but going into fall I feel like we need to get it asap. 

[Frances]

Yes, definitely, just trying to figure out the timing.

[Spryte]

My family members will! DS, DH. DD isn’t old enough (it’s 12 and up, right?). I want it as well, but need to decide if it’s worth the risk for me. I had probable adverse reactions to my first three shots and was hospitalized within two weeks of each. We don’t know for sure it was because of the shot, but it’s likely. One doc says not to get more shots, and one — who does not know me as well — leans toward getting a shot no matter what. So, absolutely, if I can do it, I will! And I may do it without my main doc’s blessing. 

[rebcoola]

Yes just waiting until I'm 3 months post covid.

[HSmomof2]

Yes, we’ll all get it….once we are 3 months post-Covid 

 

ETA: Dh, Dc, and I were able to get  appointments next weekend for both flu and Covid boosters. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by HSmomof2

[Laura Corin]

Yes, definitely.  Just waiting for my blue envelope invitation  - Scotland.  Husband had his bivalent and flu jabs yesterday. 

[Catwoman]

YES! Absolutely!!! I am so thankful for this new vaccine, and very hopeful that it will work well!

[klmama]

Probably not.  I just had COVID in July, so I'm not in a rush.  

[Corraleno]

I had my second booster (4th shot) in April, so I'm planning to get the bivalent shot in early October. That will be 6 months from the last booster, and will hopefully provide around 6 (ish) months of protection (October-March) to get me through the worst of winter/flu season. Neither of my kids were eligible for 2nd boosters, and it's been more than 6 months since their boosters so I am encouraging them to get the bivalent shot ASAP (especially DS, who is at a large university, training with a varsity team, soon to be traveling, etc.).

[Kassia]

1 minute ago, Corraleno said:

I had my second booster (4th shot) in April, so I'm planning to get the bivalent shot in early October. That will be 6 months from the last booster, and will hopefully provide around 6 (ish) months of protection (October-March) to get me through the worst of winter/flu season. 

We had ours in May and will get ours in November - just in time before our adult kids come home for Thanksgiving and then the holiday season, so I'm happy with the timing.  I think most of my adult kids will get it too.  One is pretty much anti-vax for herself and I worry a lot about that (she's a college student).  She had Covid in January but was lucky and it was a pretty mild case.  

[Shoeless]

Yes, I have mine scheduled for Friday.  I'll get one for DS14 once they are in stock. 

[Ottakee]

Yes as soon as it is available in our area.  

[Pawz4me]

I'm planning on it, but I'm not rushing out the day it's available. I'll probably wait until at least early October. I want to make sure there are no problems reported after it actually goes in arms, and I want max protection for November and December.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Pawz4me

[Pintosrock]

I got it (Moderna) Saturday. More arm soreness than with the flu shot, but less than the original "Moderna arm." It's been ten months since my last booster, and I wanted it ASAP, especially as dd's extracurriculars are all about to start up, increasing our amount of potential exposures. 

[maize]

I should have my 18 year old get it now. The rest of us had covid in July (she wasn't home) so will wait a bit.

 

[MEmama]

Yes, of course. Just trying to figure out the timing—I also need a flu shot and shingles vax (so, two shots spaced out), we have to travel overseas soon, and we'll likely have winter and spring travel that can’t be avoided.

 

[freesia]

Yes, I will. I think I will wait until late September to up holiday coverage. Numbers here are dropping. I might have dd13 boost. Ds17 just had Covid. I don’t know what dh will decide or my two adult dc. 

[lauraw4321]

When does it become available? I’m pushing a year since my last shot. 

[ScoutTN]

Yes! As soon as I can get it scheduled. Need to leave a day or two of down time in case of reaction. I felt crummy after the previous booster.  

Edited September 6, 2022 by ScoutTN

[Pawz4me]

23 minutes ago, lauraw4321 said:

When does it become available? I’m pushing a year since my last shot. 

I've read that it should be available within the next few days, but I guess it's a wait-and-see thing.

[kokotg]

yes; my 19 year old already got it, 3 more of us have appointments tomorrow. It's been nearly a year since my last booster (and no covid as far as I know), and my husband teaches high school, so there's never a time (except summer) when we can avoid a lot of exposure. 

[Lecka]

We are definitely getting it, but I don’t know when.  
 

My husband is just getting over Covid right now.  
 

I think it might be good for us to get flu shots at the same time.  I already know I often have a hard time finding a “good day” in the Fall for everyone.  And I usually stagger going in, because my oldest does the worst with shots, and then my husband is not a fan, either.  The younger kids and I are easy.  

[EKS]

Yes, but I had a second booster in July, so I'm waiting at least three months from that.

[Matryoshka]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

Yes, of course. Just trying to figure out the timing—I also need a flu shot and shingles vax (so, two shots spaced out), we have to travel overseas soon, and we'll likely have winter and spring travel that can’t be avoided.

I'm in the same boat.  I need to get my second shingles vax, which I can't get before mid-Sept, and I'm taking a plane the last day of Oct, so I'm thinking early/mid October would be good. 

I had the 2nd booster way back in the spring.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Matryoshka

[mommyoffive]

9 hours ago, KSera said:

Absolutely. It’s been about ten months since my booster. I’m wondering if anyone has seen anything helpful in trying to make the Pfizer versus Moderna decision. There’s so little info to go on. So far from what I’ve seen, it seems like Moderna causes a bigger initial antibody boost, but it starts reducing by a month out, whereas Pfizer has a much smaller initial increase but it’s not as decreased by a month out. I need to find where I saw the study again because it was on my phone and I need to see if the Pfizer decrease was smaller only because it started out not boosting as high, or if the net antibody increase at one month was still higher. Very interested in anything anyone else has found about this. I sure wish I felt like I could wait for the clinical data, but going into fall I feel like we need to get it asap. 

If you find that article can you post it?  I haven't seen that.

[KSera]

41 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

If you find that article can you post it?  I haven't seen that.

Found it again. I have never seen this source before. I’m annoyed they did not link to the studies where they got those numbers. I will see if they are on the reports on the FDA site. I’m realizing why I wasn’t able to come to a conclusion from that article though; with Moderna, they listed absolute values whereas with Pfizer, they listed how much they increased without giving absolute numbers so there’s no way to compare between Moderna and Pfizer.

https://www.techarp.com/science/pfizer-moderna-bivalent-vaccines/?amp=1

 

[mellifera33]

My kids who are eligible age-wise and I are getting the bivalent shot tonight. Our outside-the-house activities started last week so I’ve felt like I’m watching a horse race between “getting covid” and “bivalent vaccine.”

[Lady Florida.]

Yes definitely! In fact this thread reminded me that I want to call around to local pharmacies to see who has it or when they'll get it. 

[Grace Hopper]

Since it had been 8 months since my first booster and we had major metropolitan travel planned for August, I went ahead and got the old vaccine as my second booster. Now I will wait, but may not get another until maybe Jan or Feb, depending on how rampant CV appears this winter. I’m not in a high risk category and the omicron variant hasn’t typically caused as many complications as the earlier ones, so I will just wait for now. I get tinnitus as a side effect that subsides after a few weeks, so I’d rather not aggravate that again anytime soon. 

[Dmmetler]

I have an appointment for next Sat AM. Appointments weee opened last week starting Weds, but I usually have about 48 rough hours after shots. Hopefully, by the time I need to teach Monday afternoon, I’ll be past everything but a sore arm. 

[Malory]

No. omicron was a mild disease for all of us back in January, so we'll pass.

Not related to my decision, but here's two doctors argue it's best to take this booster after 6 months from previous vax/infection.

https://time.com/6211075/covid-19-vaccine-omicron-boosters/

[dirty ethel rackham]

I will definitely get it, but am torn about when to get it.  Dh and I had Covid at the end of April (post-Easter surge.)  Part of me wishes it were available a couple weeks prior because we are attending a wedding in a week.  I don't have much time between now and then to have any downtime.  Need to time this, my required flu shot and my 2nd shingles shot.  

[Lady Florida.]

One pharmacy here said they expect to get it next week but haven't been notified whether they'll get Moderna or Pfizer. From what I'm reading the Pfizer one has more side effects - similar to the first vaccine when it seemed to hit people harder.

[stephanier.1765]

1 minute ago, Lady Florida. said:

One pharmacy here said they expect to get it next week but haven't been notified whether they'll get Moderna or Pfizer. From what I'm reading the Pfizer one has more side effects - similar to the first vaccine when it seemed to hit people harder.

Other than calling them how do you know if they have the bivalent vaccine? I wonder if it will say so on their websites where we schedule vaccines. I hope it does because I really, really don't want to call pharmacy after pharmacy trying to find it.

[Lady Florida.]

2 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said:

Other than calling them how do you know if they have the bivalent vaccine? I wonder if it will say so on their websites where we schedule vaccines. I hope it does because I really, really don't want to call pharmacy after pharmacy trying to find it.

You'd probably have to call. Some might put it on their websites but if it's a national chain you'd still have to put in your zip code to see if your local one has it. I went to pick up a prescription and asked while I was there. I do plan to call a few others in my area too but didn't get around to it yet.

[Pawz4me]

5 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said:

Other than calling them how do you know if they have the bivalent vaccine? I wonder if it will say so on their websites where we schedule vaccines. I hope it does because I really, really don't want to call pharmacy after pharmacy trying to find it.

Our county health department announced on their FB page that they now have the new vaccines. By "new" I'm assuming they mean bivalent.

[mjbucks1]

No.  My family have only had our first two doses.  DH just had Covid recently.  It was mild and ds and I did not get sick.  I think it is a good idea for those at a greater risk, but we will pass for now.

[Lady Florida.]

Our health department has the new vaccine but I'd rather get it at a pharmacy. Getting in at the health dept. is a pain. 

[desertflower]

Yes. We plan to in October. All of us except for my youngest who is not qualified. 

[lauraw4321]

I go today. I think it’s bivalent but if it’s not I’ll just get the flu shot. 

[kokotg]

2 hours ago, stephanier.1765 said:

Other than calling them how do you know if they have the bivalent vaccine? I wonder if it will say so on their websites where we schedule vaccines. I hope it does because I really, really don't want to call pharmacy after pharmacy trying to find it.

My understanding is that the old boosters no longer have approval for people 12 and up (there's still the original 2 dose series or the J&J one shot for people who've never been vaccinated), so any boosters should be the bivalent. 

My husband and I and our 16 year old all got ours last night--we got Moderna (at a CVS) and my son got Pfizer (at a Walgreens). I just have a sore arm and maybe some fatigue; my 16 year old woke up with a sore throat and headache and just general crumminess, although it's gotten better as the day has gone on. He also just went to Dragon Con last weekend (but has had a bunch of negative covid tests since then) and has seasonal allergies (and ragweed's just getting going here)...so in this case I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's having a worse vaccine reaction than he did for his other doses rather than covid. 

[Lecka]

I am totally overwhelmed with figuring out when to do this, and I always have a hard time getting to flu shots for everyone (I just do, every year).  
 

I think I’m just going to do it the next time we have a free weekend.