New Variant Vaccine

[Kwirk]

We've scheduled the new booster (Moderna) this afternoon at CVS.

 

[harllee]

We've scheduled the new booster (Moderna) this afternoon at CVS.

Let us know how it goes

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I called our local pharmacy today and they will be available next week.

 

[explanade]

Top health officials believe the shots will provide more durable protection heading into the fall, but acknowledge it’s not yet clear how effective they will be.


New omicron boosters are now available, but it’s unclear how effective they will be

They need to get the bivalent boosters to Israel, which will roll it out fast and produce a lot of good data quickly.

EU or UK is planning bivalent boosters but it's targeting BA.1 rather than the now dominant BA.5.

 

[ncbill]

I'll be scheduling ASAP...Pfizer, not Moderna after reading comments from those who got the latter vaccine/booster.

I had zero side effects from two Pfizer vaccine doses and their earlier booster.

 

[harllee]

I'll be scheduling ASAP...Pfizer, not Moderna after reading comments from those who got the latter vaccine/booster.

I had zero side effects from two Pfizer vaccine doses and their earlier booster.

Why not Moderna? I have had 4 doses of Moderna and no side effects.

 

[skipro33]

After I got my 2nd booster they said mixing Moderna/Pfizer was better than sticking with just one of them so I'm wondering if I should go over to Moderna after 4 Pfizer shots.

The Moderna version of the bivalent booster is twice the active ingredients of the Pfizer version. This is why you need to be 18 for Moderna and only 12 for Pfizer versions respectively. I read this on-line at CDC or FDA website for the concentration of each, but dang if I can find it again.. I asked CVS pharmacy when I made my appointment for Tuesday (They won't have it ready until then, has to be thawed out and stirred just right and Monday is a holiday.)
I can't afford to mess around, I'm immunocompromised, so it's Moderna for me. I think that's all CVS is going to have on hand for the short term anyways according to the on-line reservation system.

 

[harllee]

The Moderna version of the bivalent booster is twice the active ingredients of the Pfizer version. This is why you need to be 18 for Moderna and only 12 for Pfizer versions respectively. I read this on-line at CDC or FDA website for the concentration of each, but dang if I can find it again.. I asked CVS pharmacy when I made my appointment for Tuesday (They won't have it ready until then, has to be thawed out and stirred just right and Monday is a holiday.)
I can't afford to mess around, I'm immunocompromised, so it's Moderna for me. I think that's all CVS is going to have on hand for the short term anyways according to the on-line reservation system.

Thanks for the info skipro. The earlier Moderna boosters were stronger also. DH is also immune compromised so we want the high test stuff too. We have not had side effects to the previous Moderna shots but if we do it will be worth it.

 

[skipro33]

Thanks for the info skipro. The earlier Moderna boosters were stronger also. DH is also immune compromised so we want the high test stuff too. We have not had side effects to the previous Moderna shots but if we do it will be worth it.

I still didn't find the original document that specified in a single sentence that one was more potent than the other, I did find on each of their websites the following:
From Moderna:

So this second-generation bivalent or dual-variant vaccine targets both the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the omicron variant BA.1. It contains 25 micrograms of original coronavirus vaccine and 25 micrograms of vaccine that specifically targets the omicron variant.

From Pfizer:

Pfizer and BioNTech’s bivalent vaccine contains 15-µg of mRNA encoding the wild-type spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is present in the Original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and 15-µg of mRNA encoding the spike protein of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants.

As you can see, not quite half as I previously stated, but indeed a higher dose with Moderna than Pfizer. My doc already knew this and encourages me to get Moderna for the new booster, and so I shall.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I would consider dropping any doctor who advised against booster if eligible and available to me. And I'll continue to take every one as they come up for me. I like the sound of the new one - all the original formulations are from the first main strain.

+1

I got shots as soon as I could, boosted as soon as I could, over 50 booster as soon as I could in April, covid in May but very mild. I plan to get the omicron booster as soon as I can.

I would also consider firing a doctor who advises against CDC recommendations. It may not be malpractice but if it was not accompanied by a very specific explanation I would lose confidence. There are people who should not be vaccinated for medical reasons but if he did not give you a very clear and specific explanation of why you should not, I would be very worried and would find a new doctor.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Thanks skipro33 for the info! I had tried to look up the strengths of Moderna vs Pfizer but didn't have as much luck as you.

I had no side effects to speak of with my 3 Pfizer covid shots (1 was a booster). With the fourth, Moderna booster shot, I felt ill for the first time afterward---but took that as a positive sign that the vaccine was working to good effect. Not to say that the Pfizers did not also work well.

I have read that side effects do mean you are having an immune response--a good thing--but also not to take the absence of side effects to mean it is not working. But it is just because I did have a noticeable reaction to Moderna that I plan to get it again this time. My reasoning is that if the high-dose flu shot is recommended for seniors, why not go for the higher-dose covid shot as well. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it! (For the record, I haven't had a reaction to the high-dose flu shot.)

 

[Dtail]

No side effects or any downtime to the 4 shots.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

No side effects or any downtime to the 4 shots.

Us neither, and we just got our annual flu jabs with no ill effects.

 

[Dtail]

Us neither, and we just got our annual flu jabs with no ill effects.

My brother didn't even have a sore arm, but then again 3 of us in the house got Covid and he did not.
Waiting until late in Oct for the flu shot.

 

[eytonxav]

DW and I received our Bi-valent boosters (Moderna) this morning. I am not expecting any side effects myself, but DW takes Tylenol as she had reactions to all the other Covid shots. We will wait until later this month to get flu shots. We also found out this morning that our 8 month old grandchild came home from daycare with a fever last Thursday and them both Mom and Dad tested positive for covid today. DDIL's case seems to be mild, but DS said it felt like a bad flu. I encouraged him to go to the Dr. What really sucks is they had flights this coming Friday to go to DDIL's brother's wedding next weekend, so doubtful they can still go.

 

[Dreamer]

We are definitely planning on getting the bivalent covid shot, but unsure when to get it.

We had 3 Pfizer shots and then we had a Moderna booster on 4/26/22. I would like to get the Moderna bivalent at least 5 months after the last one. I like to wait awhile in between receiving different shots, even though it is not supposed to make a difference.

We will probably get our high dose flu shot somewhere between 10/15 and the end of October.

We don't eat inside restaurants and we always mask.

I am hearing of a lot of people in our area that either had Covid recently or do now. If that keeps up then we might move the date up to get the bivalent shot.

 

[Aerides]

Since this one really isn't a booster (poor marketing) and instead is really a new formulation designed for today's main variant, I don't see a good reason to wait based on the timing of my past shot. Whether or not it has waned really isn't relevant to me, as that one was based on the original strain.

Getting one more tailored to what's in circulation today makes this one very attractive to me, as I have to think it has better protection against actual infection, vs. "just" improving my chances against severe illness.

My last jab was May, and I'm over 50, so I'll look into scheduling when my pharmacy has it.

 

[harllee]

Aerides, around here both Walgreens, CVS and independent pharmacies have the new vaccine.

 

[Kwirk]

I got the Moderna bivalent yesterday by appointment at CVS. No soreness. Spent much of today sleeping and had a mild fever.

 

[Dreamer]

Since this one really isn't a booster (poor marketing) and instead is really a new formulation designed for today's main variant, I don't see a good reason to wait based on the timing of my past shot. Whether or not it has waned really isn't relevant to me, as that one was based on the original strain.

Getting one more tailored to what's in circulation today makes this one very attractive to me, as I have to think it has better protection against actual infection, vs. "just" improving my chances against severe illness.

My last jab was May, and I'm over 50, so I'll look into scheduling when my pharmacy has it.

That makes a lot of sense. I was thinking of it as a booster, instead of a new formulation. I think that I will get it sooner. I am 69 and DH is 70.

 

[anethum]

I got the "new & improved" bivalent Moderna vaccine yesterday at CVS. So far, no side effects other than the usual soreness around the injection site. I wanted to get it ASAP because I have travel planned 2 weeks from now. My previous booster was over 5 months ago, also Moderna and also no side effects. My first 3 Covid shots were Pfizer. Minor headache from the first two shots. I had a terrible but brief headache from my 3rd Pfizer dose and a brief fever.

As far as I know, I haven't had Covid. I continue to mask indoors and avoid crowded indoor spaces whenever possible. I wanted to go to the Library of Congress Book Festival 2 days ago at the Washington DC Convention Center. They were holding it in person for the first time since 2019. But since they weren't requiring masks, I stayed home. It typically attracts thousands of people who come to listen to authors speak about their books.

 

[eytonxav]

DW and I received our Bi-valent boosters (Moderna) this morning. I am not expecting any side effects myself, but DW takes Tylenol as she had reactions to all the other Covid shots. We will wait until later this month to get flu shots. We also found out this morning that our 8 month old grandchild came home from daycare with a fever last Thursday and them both Mom and Dad tested positive for covid today. DDIL's case seems to be mild, but DS said it felt like a bad flu. I encouraged him to go to the Dr. What really sucks is they had flights this coming Friday to go to DDIL's brother's wedding next weekend, so doubtful they can still go.

Update, I felt feverish going to bed last night about 10 hours after getting the shot. Arm is also sore. Both of those were the first time I've had a reaction to these covid shots. DW kept taking Tylenol and that seemed to help her except for a sore arm.

 

[oiseux]

Have our appointments at CVS on Thursday, so we will see how that goes. Only the original booster for us. We are traveling overseas so want the extra boost.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I haven’t found the bivalent vaccine locally yet at CVS. I plan on getting the booster mid-October with my flu shot. Last year I got both early, but we were traveling in late September.

The CDC recommends spacing your boosters if you can, as it can help give longer lasting immunity. I want to wait to provide added protection against the post Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday surge, which likely won’t be as bad as the previous two years.

 

[harllee]

Have our appointments at CVS on Thursday, so we will see how that goes. Only the original booster for us. We are traveling overseas so want the extra boost.

Original booster and not the new one? Where I live they have quit giving the original booster and are only giving the new boosters now. Why would you waste your time on the original booster since it does not work well against the current variant?