Which COVID 19 Vaccine to Get?

[swalker]

Surprisingly, I received an email today notifying me that I had been invited to schedule an appointment to get a COVID 19 vaccine. My wife and I both scheduled appointments!

The appointment will be on Friday, the first day that folks in my group are eligible to receive a vaccine in my area.

The only vaccine they have is the Johnson and Johnson one.

I have read that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is less effective that the Moderna and Pfizer (about 66% vs about 95%). However, the phase 3 trials for the vaccines had differences that make it hard to interpret the numbers. Regardless it seems like the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is not as good as the others by at least some and possibly a significant margin.

Does anyone have an opinion about the wisdom of getting the Johnson and Johnson vaccine now vs waiting and trying to get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Steve

 

[lgelb]

It's true, they can't be directly compared as they had different endpoints. But JNJ's vaccine was able to show more efficacy against new variants since its trials were later, and showed significant efficacy against severe disease/hospitalization/death -- the big ticket items for any vaccine. It is still possible, since they are testing a booster, that you'd be eligible for that, too. And with a single-shot regimen, no worries about matching up later at any particular interval, which I suspect will be an issue for many given that the distro system is still a mess.

Here are two of the best summaries, from STAT and a well-known epidemiologist on Twitter.

Every scientist I know would happily take the JNJ vax. I would, too. With crazy governors not far from you tearing up the pandemic playbook, and continued national denial in many quarters, I would want to begin the march toward protection ASAP. --Laurie

 

[Nikki J]

I agree with Laurie. I realize I am speaking as someone who already got a vaccine but I promise I was saying before that I would take whichever vaccine I could get first.

I am so happy that you both can have it! Congratulations!

 

[lisa g]

I think that with any of the vaccines you'll be seeing boosters to fight the new variances. I myself have been vaccinated but if I weren't already I wouldn't hesitate which one I took to give me any protection. I hope with the J & J in mix now we'll be seeing a lot more including Pals and Cals reporting they received a vaccine.

 

[KimT]

The State of Florida called me today to schedule my first shot. I went through a series of questions. When she got to the question, "have you ever had an anaphylactic reaction to any medicine?" I had to say yes, because I've had two. She said she could not schedule me. I asked her how I could get the vaccine. She said ask your allergist or PCP. I've already spoken to my PCP and she wrote me an Rx for another epi-pen but has no idea where I can get the vaccine.

The person on the phone from the State of Florida was useless. She couldn't tell me any clinical settings where I could get the vaccine in all of Florida.

I guess I should have lied.

 

[EricInLA]

Sorry to hear that Kim! That sucks. I guess sometimes we need to judiciously cast aside the advice given by our mothers that "honesty is the best policy".

With respect to the J&J vaccine, I wholeheartedly agree with others that you should take whatever vaccine they have. The numerical comparisons are misleading for the reasons stated above. I would actually prefer J&J because I think the danger in the coming months will be from variants, and J&J was tested in communities where those variants were already established. They are talking now about a THIRD shot for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to cover the variants. I guess it's like a software patch

 

[Nikki J]

I am sorry Kim. I don’t know how your system works. Here we have the sign up system for most of the sites where members of the eligible groups can sign up IF they can access an appointment ( computer literate and ability to travel distances will win) but initially the hospital systems had an allocation too ( the state took it away to supply the mass vax sites ). They have just started to get a supply again. Mass General said we were on a list and they randomly give appointments to the members of the eligible group they are working on- lots fairer. Do you know if any of the hospital systems you are connected to do this?

 

[swalker]

I want to thank everyone for sharing your thoughts on this. My wife and I have both independently decided that moving forward with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is the smart thing to do.

Kim, that just sucks!

Steve

 

[lisa g]

Kim- that really sucks. They couldn't direct you anywhere? Why couldn't they send you to a vaccination site where nurses or doctors would be administering the vaccine instead of a pharmacist? Then they would be able to monitor you more closely.

 

[KimT]

She didn't even know where our sites were located. She said the reaction disqualifies her from giving me an appointment. Our big site is at the fairgrounds. It's about 30 minutes from here and I took my sister-in-law to get her second shot last week. They had an ambulance there and plenty of help.

I was in the hospital for a minor procedure on Thursday. I asked them if I could get the vaccine there. They said they only vaccinated staff and their families.

I'm not sure about Mayo. It's 2.5 hours from where I live. I have an appointment up there on the 22nd. Nothing to do with ALS but I'll ask them.

For now, I'll keep trying locally. I have a FaceTime appointment with my allergist on Monday so I'm hoping he can provide guidance.

Walmart, Sams, Walgreens, and CVS will be up and running soon. I've never had any vaccine since childhood so I'm just going to say no to the question and take my epi-pen with me in case of a delayed reaction, which I'm not expecting.

I really miss my brother and want to see him more often. He is at a stage where he really doesn't understand why I'm not there more often.

 

[Statius@]

I've had anaphylactic reactions twice in the past. All the VA staff made me do is wait longer before being released. Your experience seems based in ignorance or incompetence.

 

[lgelb]

Agreed -- the CDC policy is for monitoring, not rejection. Overall vaccine anaphylaxis rates are very low.

 

[KimT]

Try telling that to the people who call you from the State of Florida. I'm very convincing but couldn't get her to put me through to her supervisor.

I had better luck at Advent Health. At least I'm on their list.

Hopefully, my allergist will help me get the vaccination.

 

[lisa g]

Kim- I think it's crazy that your getting the run around on this vaccine. There is no reason they can't schedule you somewhere that medical personnel could monitor you better.

My daughter the teacher has to be tested again tomorrow. They had another outbreak among teachers in her school. She's felt ill for 5 days now. I told her that if she tests negative she needs to get vaccinated. At least President Biden overruled Governor DeSantis by saying all teachers are eligible for the vaccine regardless of age. DeSantis wanted teachers 50 and older. Every time my daughter gets tested she has to stay home on her dime until test results come back.

 

[KevinM]

Same with my wife having to stay home until the results came in. Sure hope your daughter is negative, Lisa.

My wife will be scheduling her vaccine next week (hopefully) and I plan to get my doc to complete the Medically Vulnerable form for me, so it’s moving along. K