Discussions

So, went for my prebooked booster today, my first two were pfizer, & b/c nothing notified me at time of booking or before my apt, i felt sure i was getting pfizer.  
However, during my checking in process i was advised due to the shortage of Pfizer, they are reserving them for 30 & younger, so I’d be getting Moderna.  
This was not what i was expecting & due to 2 pre-existing health issues & having already 2 Pfizer , i didn’t feel comfortable getting Moderna. I voiced this to the person checking me in, they were nice enough, but still semi-intimidated me for Moderna…Unless I had a doctors note of some kind. Finally, until I got to the point that I cried, explained my situation, I was allowed to get Pfizer as well for my 3rd.  
I realize it necessarily wasn’t the fault of the people working at the Keystone Centre today, but I wish I would’ve known at the time I booked my appointment or receive some kind of notification that Pfizer would not be an option. Just fyi

I was suspicious of this when I went to book boosters for myself and family. I realized that the site had not specified so I cancelled and booked a Pfizer specific appointment elsewhere. Like you I have a health issue that makes Moderna unsuitable, and I didn't feel like having any hassle over it when I got there for my appointment. I agree there should be some notification on the site or in the confirmation so no one is taken by surprise as you were.

I had same thing happen last weekend. Asked if I had a choice and lady about to give me Moderna said,  
“They can’t refuse.” So up I got and went  
to Pfizer line for the trifecta.

My partner booked a Pfizer for their booster. When they got there they were told by the first person they talked to as well as the person at the table signing them in that they would have to have Moderna as they are 30. When they got to the Moderna table the nurse told them that because they are 30 they recommend Pfizer. They went to the Pfizer table and were told they should be getting Moderna due to their age. They explained what they had been told at the Moderna table and because they had originally booked a Pfizer appointment they got Pfizer. It was pretty confusing.

Booked as well for an appointment yesterday for Pfizer, I was almost sold to taking Moderna but I insisted on having the 3rd dose of Pfizer.... they even try to sell me to Moderna as the lady said "your daughter is under 30, we will give your Pfizer to her..." I paused for awhile, but i said please give me the same vaccine as I had two shots already before... and they were fine by it. It would make sense to have some sort of notice when when booking for an appointment so as not to surprise people. I guess they are reserving the Pfizer shots for those under the age of 30.  
 
Edited by nolivy, 2022-01-13 22:25:18

Where or how can I find a Pfizer booster if not at the Keystone? I've booked in for my booster but was not given the option this time around and assumed I would get Pfizer because I've got Pfizer so far..  
Thanks for the help

Not sure how people are booking their appts, but when I went online to book I read this before hitting next.  
 
"  
Pfizer is recommended for individuals aged 12 to 29 and will be reserved for this age group. People aged 30 or older receiving a COVID-19 vaccine should expect to receive Moderna. If Moderna does not work for the individual, please discuss alternatives at the appointment."  
 
So there is a heads up when you book online.

I had the same thing, but knew it was coming when I went to the Keystone. I just told the lady in the line that I wanted Pfizer. She told me they recommend the Moderna incase there are new mutations yada yada (if there are new mutations I guarantee there's a 4th booster needed for them anyways). I told her if I wasn't getting the Pfizer I would just leave and book somewhere that I could get it. They marked me down for Pfizer. They cant force you to use a drug/vaccine that you don't want to use.

My kids have to wait longer for their 3rd boosters. So much for trying to get their immune system up to speed before classes start. If you have a medical reason to get Pfizer, then please do so. For those of you insisting on staying with Pfizer, do you also questions what brand of flu shot you are getting (if you get the flu shot)?

I have the phizer for my first shot, but because there were shortages of it for kids, i ooted to get moderna for my 2nd and will do so for my 3rd as well. If me going with moderna helps a parent allow their child to get a phizer shot, then I have no issues. I have a child myself.  
 
I also had no crazy side effects, but as my family eould say, nothing could make me crazier then what i already am LOL

You have to be over 18 to get a booster, according the the pharmacist at Shoppers when I was waiting in line for a pres:cription the other day.

Exactly the situation my partner and I did. We happily took the moderna as our second shot so the kids could get the Pfizer booster. Moderna was our 3rd booster. No one has had any side effects

“You have to be over 18 to get a booster, according the the pharmacist at Shoppers when I was waiting in line for a pres:cription the other day.”  
Yep. I realize that. But when I initially booked them at the beginning of December, this was not in place. They were turned away as Pfizer doses are running short. They are trying to save Pfizer doses for those that need it (12 and under, immune compromised, etc). My kids aren’t a priority as a result which is PERFECTLY understandable. Please understand how it is frustrating to hear people ‘brand shopping’ vaccines

Get a smaller dose, do they not? When the shots were first approved for the under 12s, completely separate doses were sent out to the provinces. So-pretty sure anyone getting the adult booster has no effect at all on the under 12s.  
 
Have the 3rd dose boosters even been approved yet for under 12s? They weren't, but perhaps that has changed recently.

The 12 and unders do get a different Pfizer vaccine

I got my booster on Thursday at the Keystone. They told me they recommended I get Moderna. I told them I preferred to get Pfizer. She said ok and that's what I got. Hubby got Moderna as he had no preference.  
So if you let them know you would like Pfizer you can get it, you just have to ask.

After my experience, my husbands experience and some other family members, I would encourage the staff at the keystone who are getting people checked in for their vaccines to not make people feel awful for their decisions. There are some out there that, of course, are just brand shopping or ignorant, but there are others who genuinely cannot have Moderna.  
The judgment people are getting for refusing the Moderna shot is totally uncalled for. Be kind. This is a stressful situation. I’m sure no one is walking in there happy to be getting yet another one of these shots, especially when they are in a situation where they can only have one and not the other, so a little kindness goes a long way.

Well said 100%!  
Definitely was not ‘brand shopping‘ : just have concerns with vax/booster cocktail due to my several pre-existing conditions.  
 
Maybe at the same time they send out the email for your booster reminder appointment, they could also mention the Pfizer shortage, moderna option.  
That way if you are wanting to get either specifically Moderna, or Pfizer, for whichever’s reason, you can reschedule your appointment accordingly when supplies of vaccine choice are available.  
 
Edited by Tcatman5, 2022-01-15 19:03:14

Who genuinely can not have Moderna?  
There is nothing mentioned on the MB Health page, that I have seen or am aware of.  
 
https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/vaccine/eligibility-criteria.html

I have a few pre-existing conditions of my own but my doc has never mentioned any issues with vaccines or mixing of them to be an issue. I’m curious like curly sister, what are some examples of those who can’t have one or the other?  
 
We went to BFC and they told us we’d be getting moderna instead of phizer this time due to shortages and the fact that phizer is the approved one for kids. So, we took moderna and left phizer for the population that needs it. So far so good

A reaction I had left me only able to have Pfizer. A lot of people don’t really understand the difference between the two, which is totally understandable as the media is just pushing the messaging that any vaccine is safe and just take what you can get. The two vaccines are the same type of vaccine, but they have different ingredients and doses. Moderna has been proven to have more side effects and more severe side effects in general. It is still okay for most people though. So there’s nothing wrong with the messaging out there, but there are legitimate situations where people can’t have one or the other. Hope that helps answer your question.  
I have 5 kids, so leaving doses for them is definitely on my mind, but protecting myself for them, especially my youngest who cannot be vaccinated yet, is also a priority. If I have to take one over the other, then that’s a small price to pay.

I'm best not having either Astra-Zeneca or Moderna as both have known allergens for me. Pfizer has no known allergens, and I had both my shots in the outpatient unit as a precaution (I had no allergic reaction).  
 
My 6 months aren't until around the end of Feb or so, I'm really worried Pfizer won't be available due to supply issues. I could take one of the others and manage the allergic reaction, but my last anaphylaxis took months to fully recover from and fully settle down.

When we went for our third shot just before new year. We had booked Pfizer. Our first 2 shots were that.  
 
Why I don’t feel mixing shots are good.  
 
Moderna has more side effects possibilities and is not as effective as Pfizer.  
 
I knew from news. I could see from poster. When we signed in the lady said recommended moderna. I just Pfizer. The next lady said moderna I said Pfizer when she started her talk. I interrupted politely and said Pfizer please. She pointed the way when we got to nurse. I verified Pfizer table. He said moderna recommended. I said no we are getting Pfizer or we are walking. He said ok Pfizer good is better anyway and there is no shortage just PH want to have under 30 to have Pfizer as too many side effects with heart with moderna for younger people. Just stating what nurse said.  
 
Over 50 is the recommended 3rd dose category along with medical conditions.  
 
As to shopping for a virus. Duh majority have been doing that since vaccinations becoming available.  
 
And for those who say want available for under 12 that’s a whole different dose and there is only Pfizer.  
 
Personally I recommend you stick with the same vaccine for how many doses you get  
Whether it is moderna or Pfizer.  
 
But if you want to mix go for it.

Just get a doctors note/rx from your doctor stating the brand you require and no pharmacy will turn that away. I don’t know how the supersite works for that but I imagine they wouldn’t refuse the note either.

We had first shot Phizer and then our second was Moderna to save Phizer for the youths. Now we are in the States and we could choose which kind we wanted for our boosters. We chose Moderna again. The studies here showed Moderna had a better protection. Another interesting fact we just heard on the local news down here is that they did a study where half the participants were given vaccine and the other half placebos. Most people who reported side effects ( headaches, lethargic) received the placebo.  
We are in a snowbird park and have not heard of anyone having any side effects from the booster. Might just be “luck” but that is pretty high odds.  
Unfortunately some of you may be allergic to Moderna. But if you don’t have a medical reason there is absolutely no reason to fear getting Moderna. Save the Phizer for our youngsters

No doctors note is required. There is absolutely nothing anywhere that says you must produce a doctor's note to get one shot instead of the other. At the pharmacy you sign up for Pfizer, you get Pfizer, no questions, no hassle.  
 
From the sounds of it, as long as you are firm about getting Pfizer instead of Moderna, the supersite doesn't give you any real hassle either.

I haven't needed a doctor's note to be accommodated thus far (they have been excellent).  
 
My concern is that so many people are insisting on Pfizer when it's not medically indicated for them and Moderna is a medically-acceptable substitute. The Moderna booster is only 50 mcg instead of the 100 mcg in the first 2 shots. To compare, Pfizer contains 30 mcg in all 3 shots.  
 
The are lower supplies of Pfizer right now, and I'm worried there won't be adequate supply for those of us who MUST receive that one for various reasons (allergy and age are 2 reasons cited in this thread).

I also want to point something out, at the risk of upsetting people. For those who have insisted on Pfizer vs Moderna, l wonder how many people made that decision in consultation with their medical team?  
 
I'm asking because I did. It's not based on some nebulous idea that our vaccines must match (they don't, and often don't when vaccinated for other things), or based on something I read online (which may or may not be correct). I had very important discussions (plural) about the pros and cons with my specialist, and then was able to come to an arrangement that was both practical and safe via the vaccine supersite.  
 
I applaud anyone who gets vaccinated. Thank you. I see you and appreciate you. But please understand that by doing something that contrary to the recommendations without talking to a medical professional (recommendations developed by medical professionals, btw), you risk denying access someone who very critically needs this vaccine.  
 
We've seen this with other meds already in the pandemic - ivermectin demand prevented farmers and vets from using it and to turn to other more expensive and less useful alternatives. Hydroquilowwhateveritis denied Lupus patients access to that critical med. Some of them suffered because of it.  
 
Medications and vaccines are good and should be taken as recommended. Right now, the recommendation is for everyone over 30 to receive Moderna. While this is partially a political decision, it's also one supported by science.  
 
I'm done ranting now. /soapbox

Ivermectin was and is readily available to farmers and vets for its intended usage in animals . There is no shortage.  
What happened was ivermectin was used by humans for an unlicensed and unapproved usage with no medical grounds or evidence whatsoever and that is where the danger lies, misinformation.

As farmergeorge said, there is no shortage of ivermectin. There has not been any shortage of ivermectin.  
 
The only problem has been this: when people went to the farm supply stores and bought the animal product, some of them ended up in the ER with an overdose. What happened from there was some of the stores-in the US especially-then made it difficult for everyone to purchase ivermectin. People could no longer just walk in and buy ivermectin products for their livestock-they had to provide proof that they actually had livestock. Now, it is not that hard to prove this, but it is kind of annoying to have to do so. Livestock owners are inconvenienced; store employees are inconvenienced-suddenly just selling livestock dewormer has become e stressful because the store clerk has to worry about what the buyer wants the drug for. Is it really for a horse? Or is that person going to ingest it himself and then land in the ER with toxicity symptoms?  
 
As for a shortage of Pfizer- have you not seen the reports of the number of doses of each kind of vaccine that Canada has coming? There are enough doses to vaccinate all eligible Canadiams several times over in the next 2 or 3 years. Millions of those doses are Pfizer, and I rather imagine that by the time all those doses run out, more will be available. We might sometimes have to wait a week or 2 for more doses to be delivered to the vaccine sites-as has been the case a few times in the past year. Shortages so far have been very short term.