lets get bivalent in here - help me with the finer points of getting my bivalent booster

[mattkime]

First Pfizer vs Moderna? When I got boosted I went with Moderna. If you ask me if I want a medium or large vaccination, I'll go with large. Yes, its debatable whether Moderna is better although it did have some better numbers.

I just checked availability around here. Everything is being booked a couple of weeks out. Is that due to lack of availability? Or is it just part of planning for dispensing the vaccine?

I guess I should make an appointment by end of day. I have a trip to Europe in October and want to be vaxxed to the max before I get into a metal tube with other humans.

[Acer]

I have not heard of definitive reports that there's any significant advantage or disadvantage to mixing or matching. Take the next available.

[PeterB]

Acer wrote:
I have not heard of definitive reports that there's any significant advantage or disadvantage to mixing or matching. Take the next available.

I would agree with this, though anecdotally, it seems more people are having a stronger reaction to the Moderna... could be something about the vaccine or in the formulation of the injection itself.

[mattkime]

PeterB wrote:
I would agree with this, though anecdotally, it seems more people are having a stronger reaction to the Moderna... could be something about the vaccine or in the formulation of the injection itself.

If I remember correctly, the Moderna was literally a larger dose.

My reaction to the Moderna booster was minimal. I think I felt off for a couple of hours.

[btfc]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/artic.../?amp=true

[davester]

I just came back from my booster appointment. They had no availability of the Moderna bivalent booster but they were still allowing people to get Moderna original boosters if that's what they wanted. I went with the Pfizer bivalent. Weirdly, I didn't feel a thing but my wife said her shot really hurt.

[pRICE cUBE]

At this point, it's probably best just to have an updated version without the brand mattering as much. Omicron 5 is really good at jumping from person to person. Several people I know went with the mix approach and they are all alive and well.

[Ombligo]

Just scheduled mine for Monday, but I could have gone anytime starting tomorrow morning. It will be for the Moderna version. I may go ahead and get my shingles shot at the same time, may as well be sick just once.

Living in a MAGA area that supports the anti-Vax world makes it easy to get an appointment.

[RgrF]

PeterB wrote:
[quote=Acer]
I have not heard of definitive reports that there's any significant advantage or disadvantage to mixing or matching. Take the next available.

I would agree with this, though anecdotally, it seems more people are having a stronger reaction to the Moderna... could be something about the vaccine or in the formulation of the injection itself.
Wife and I had 4 previous Moderna shots with, soreness aside, little if any aftermath. We recently went for the booster and the pharm only had Pfizer bivalent. She took her shot and because I didn't have my ins card with me I didn't.

The following day she was only bit effected, by day two she was hit with fever, inability to take meds or food and nausea along with breathing difficulty - this went on through days 2 & 3 we were close to an ER visit. It wasn't til days 4 & 5 she started to come out of it, today is day 6 and she's getting back to but not quite normal.

This is anecdotal. She has a number of medical issues that have left her quite fragile so it's possible the Pfizer either wasn't a factor or could have been a trip point, whichever it was we'll probably never know.

I know I'll be getting Moderna for my next boost.

[PeterB]

RgrF wrote:
[quote=PeterB]
[quote=Acer]
I have not heard of definitive reports that there's any significant advantage or disadvantage to mixing or matching. Take the next available.

I would agree with this, though anecdotally, it seems more people are having a stronger reaction to the Moderna... could be something about the vaccine or in the formulation of the injection itself.
Wife and I had 4 previous Moderna shots with, soreness aside, little if any aftermath. We recently went for the booster and the pharm only had Pfizer bivalent. She took her shot and because I didn't have my ins card with me I didn't.

The following day she was only bit effected, by day two she was hit with fever, inability to take meds or food and nausea along with breathing difficulty - this went on through days 2 & 3 we were close to an ER visit. It wasn't til days 4 & 5 she started to come out of it, today is day 6 and she's getting back to but not quite normal.

This is anecdotal. She has a number of medical issues that have left her quite fragile so it's possible the Pfizer either wasn't a factor or could have been a trip point, whichever it was we'll probably never know.

I know I'll be getting Moderna for my next boost.
Wow, that definitely doesn't sound like a typical reaction, and makes me wonder if something was wrong with that particular batch of Pfizer and/or the person administering screwed up in some way.

When I said that anecdotally, more people are having a stronger reaction to the Moderna, I wasn't necessarily referring to adverse reactions -- only that I've heard more people having the typical, 1-2 day post-shot malaise/fatigue/headache/arm soreness.