Covid booster and flu shot questions

[Bernadine]

Did you get a different booster than our original vaccine? I got Moderna, and I can now get any of the three boosters. Should I go for Pfizer?

Also, has anyone heard about how to time flu shots and boosters? Like, I assume I shouldn’t get them the same day?

[macmars45]

Updated info says it's fine to get them same day.

I plan to get Moderna when I get a booster.  I got Moderna for my first two as that was what was offered.

[wildrice]

My H and I both got ours on the same day as the flu shot! We both had more side effects than we did with the first 2 shots, but nothing horrible IMO. I was functional but just felt kind of crappy/tired and had a low fever, plus my arm hurt a lot (that was due to the COVID shot, my flu shot arm was fine). My H felt overall crappy for a couple of days but wasn't knocked out in bed or anything.

I don't know that there is any benefit to switching to Pfizer so in your case I'd probably just get another Moderna, unless you had a terrible reaction to the first 2 or something?

[Patsy Baloney]

I got the same booster because I was Pfizer all the way and wanted it ASAP, which was prior to the new guidance. No advice there.

I got my flu shot at the same time - no issues. They’ll just do one in each arm to monitor localized reactions.

[Susie]

I also got Moderna as my primary.  I'm not eligible for booster yet, but when I am I will definitely get an mRNA booster, and maybe prefer Pfizer over Moderna slightly based on the data summarized here:  yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/what-booster-should-i-get-data-from



Obviously if there's new data by then I'll rethink it, but that's what I'd do based on today's best info.

I am hearing different things about flu shot timing, so IDK about that.  I got my flu shot a couple weeks ago to get it out of the way.

[stemmie]

DH got flu and booster same day- one in each arm. He had fewer/shorter side effects than when he got his second Pfizer shot. He doesn't typically have a reaction to flu shots.

www.nytimes.com/2021/10/27/well/live/covid-booster-shot-mix-and-match.html

[wanderingback]

You can get the covid vaccine with any vaccine together, no contraindications.
My partner got the yellow fever vaccine then the covid vaccine 2 days later, he would’ve gotten them together if 1 location had both.

I haven’t gotten a booster but I’ll just get whatever is convenient, it doesn’t matter much.

[Jalapeñomel]

DH got his booster and flu shot on Wednesday, and he's exhausted and has a sore arm, but that's his only side effects.

[penguingrrl]

I got moderna initially and did a Pfizer booster this week. I got my flu shot in the same visit!

[isabel]

I got a Pfizer booster after two Pfizer doses initially. I have never had side effects from any of them aside from a sore arm (it was worst with the second shot).

[lilafowler]

I got my flu shot and TDaP booster in one arm Wednesday and my Pfizer covid booster (Pfizer for first two as well) in the other arm yesterday (my BFF is a NP and she confirmed it was fine). I felt a little like Frankenstein yesterday (couldn’t raise either arm over my head without some pain) but today only the covid arm is sore-and about the same level as my second dose back in April. I’m feeling a little tired and rundown but nothing major.

[beerlover]

Oct 29, 2021 10:16:55 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

DH got his booster and flu shot on Wednesday, and he's exhausted and has a sore arm, but that's his only side effects.

Same here exactly. DH got his Wednesday night. By 10AM Thursday he was exhausted and left work early (never does that) and was in bed at 9pm. He went to work at 6am today per usual and says he's doing okay, so hopefully the side effects have mostly passed.

[af1212]

All the data I have seen says if you got Moderna - get Pfizer. If you got Pfizer - get Moderna. If you got JNJ get either Pfizer or Moderna.

You can get flu and COVID together it’s fine.

All that said - I got Pfizer the first time and I got it as my booster too. It was readily available and idk where I would have gotten Moderna. The numbers if you started with Pfizer are pretty small on difference

Here is a chart I saw in a post on another board earlier in the week that I found helpful -

[jennybee1018]

I've heard so much about mixing but haven't read quite enough to know which one to choose, so my original two doses were Pfizer and I stuck with that the for the 3rd.

If we end up needing another one - I may consider it then!

[dexteroni]

Oct 29, 2021 13:04:34 GMT -5 jennybee1018 said:

I've heard so much about mixing but haven't read quite enough to know which one to choose, so my original two doses were Pfizer and I stuck with that the for the 3rd.

If we end up needing another one - I may consider it then!

We did the same thing, for the same reason. I saw a dr. on MSNBC say he stuck with his original manufacturer because they'll likely gather more data about people who get all three shots of their product. That sounded reasonable and useful. If it ends up being an annual shot then maybe we'll consider getting a different one some years.

[Whitecaps]

I got both in the same visit yesterday. It was my third Pfizer. Today I’m knocked out in bed with a 101 fever - which is an improvement from the 104 fever I had after my second dose.

[dearprudence]

I work in healthcare (non-frontline) but we got notice a month ago they're pulling from all staff to work in our hospitals and clinics because of Covid numbers so we were given flu shots as soon as available and Covid boosters as soon as approved. So I ended up with Pfizer for all 3 shots. Because of the timing, my flu shot was already several weeks past by the time I got my booster, but I know my organization is saying that there's no issue with getting both at the same time.

[sadlebred]

I got the flu shot about 6 weeks ago but the booster today. I got a Pfizer series and Moderna as the booster. There is some early data that Moderna *may* (key takeaway is MAY--as in MAYBE) provide some longer term coverage than Moderna, but that was from the original 2 shot series. My specialists (MD doctors) said I could choose either mRNA for the booster.

So far only the injection site is the least bit sore. I didn't have many side effects except for some fatigue and a really sore arm from the Pfizer shots. Other than a sore arm near the injection site foe 12-24 hours I typically don't have a reaction to the flu shot.

[Leeham Rimes]

I would get the other brand if I had easy access to it, just bc it maybe might be better than staying with the same maker. However I got Pfizer for all my shots bc it was the only thing available to me. Even now, my friend cannot get Moderna booster anywhere. I know current wisdom is that you can get both the booster and the flu shot at the same time. I got my flu shot before the booster was even allowed for my group. I had zero side effect from the flu shot but the booster kicked my ass, hard. 24-48 hours after the booster was the worst I’ve felt in a long while.

[huskymom]

I had J&J for the first and my dr recommended I get either mRNA but said she didn’t have a strong preference. I scheduled a Moderna with a flu shot for next week.

[boiler717]

If you started with Moderna, either Pfizer or Moderna is similar. If you started with Pfizer or JnJ I would get Moderna.

[skidunks]

I had two doses of Moderna earlier in the year (like January) and got a Moderna booster on Thursday night. I was pretty much out all day yesterday, achy, headache, super tired, just felt crappy in general. But so far today I feel fine!

[laurack]

I was planning to stick with Pfizer since I didn’t get sick from the first two and figured I should stick with that. Now I’m not so sure though!

[mcmel]

I received Pfizer for my initial doses and just received Pfizer again yesterday. My arm is very sore and I might have some slight body aches.

[krystee]

I had Pfizer and will be getting the Moderna booster on Friday. My H got J&J and is getting Moderna next Saturday.

And then we are off to our anniversary trip and our first time on a plane in two years the next weekend!! I’m so excited.