September covid thread

[timorousbeastie]

Sept 3, 2022 14:03:38 GMT -5 JayTea said:

If you have a choice between Pfizer & Moderna - which booster are you getting and why?

My first three shots were Pfizer, largely just because that was what was available for me to get each time. Yesterday I got Moderna; it was the only option available anywhere remotely close to me yesterday, and I didn’t want to wait until next week when there will be more options nearby. If both Pfizer and Moderna were available yesterday, I probably would have still chosen Moderna since it seems like it’s holding up better. But if only Pfizer was available yesterday, I would have taken it rather than waiting for Moderna.

This is obviously purely anecdotal, but for anyone curious about side effects - after my first three shots, I spent somewhere between half a day to a full day feeling like I was coming down with the flu. This time, nothing at all. Even my arm is barely sore, and only if I press on it. So hopefully others have few/no side effects this time around, too!

[wanderingback]

Since I’ve been gone from work all week I’m not sure if the building where I work got the new vaccines to start on Tues when I return. But I went ahead and booked at Walgreens for Wednesday.

My grandma is 104 and she has some memory problems (who doesn’t at 104!) Last time my mom took her to get her last booster my grandma was like are you sure, didn’t we already get covid vaccines?! Lol. Hopefully she now understands this is gonna be an ongoing thing :/

Whenever I think of science and medicine I think of her because she was born before the 1918 flu pandemic and before antibiotics were even around. Crazy how things have changed.

[sillygoosegirl]

Sept 2, 2022 10:55:07 GMT -5 lea said:

YLE included a link to a preprint in her newsletter that says a booster within 2 months of an infection doesn’t add much protection and suggests waiting 3-4 months post infection at least. So since I had it in mid-July I think I’ll do flu shot in Sept and booster in Oct maybe?

Link to preprint

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.30.22279344v1

2 members of my household had COVID in early May, got boosted at the end of July, and then got COVID again in early August... it was like 10 days after their shots and maybe 95 days after their prior infection. Now maybe getting that booster sooner wouldn't have helped, but ugh.

[neverfstop]

Got my booster shot & flu scheduled for today- woohoo, ready to be recovering tomorrow.

[beerlover]

I usually go to Rite Aid for this and it doesn't seem like they've updated their system yet to allow you to schedule the new booster. I'd love to get that in next week.

[formerlyak]

Everyone in my household who is old enough is getting it this week. Thanks for posting about this. It’s busy time at work for both DH and me so thankfully I saw it here when I came for a “brain break” from work.

[noodleoo]

Wahoo! Scheduled boosters for H and myself for Wed this week. I was debating waiting a few weeks, but a gathering we were supposed to go to today got cancelled this morning because completely asymptomatic, vaxxed and boosted person tested positive. 😳I’m so glad we agreed to test before the party! Give me that booster asap!!!

And for the first time, I’m getting a shot shortly after approval at the local CVS 5 mins from my house without having to hunt like crazy for an appt. They had plenty of appts, I could even choose a convenient time! I’m guessing I got lucky and most people don’t know it’s actually shipped yet. Our area is very highly vaccinated (lucky for us). At least I hope that’s why and not that people don’t care anymore.

[eddy]

I will get pfizer again only because pfizer is a lower dose. It already knocks me on my ass and I am dreading going through it again. It also has offered me pretty impressive protection so I guess it is worth it, but not looking forward to feeling sick. I really don't want to see what Moderna is made of lol.

I always joke that I wish I could take get one of the lower dose version for younger ages. I had hoped with time they would find a way to make the after effects of the shots less dramatic, but understandably that is not a priority.

[dancingirl21]

I tested positive today, I think. It’s a super faint line and I will test again tomorrow. I’ve avoided it for 2.5 years but it was bound to happen! I had a really sore throat on Friday, bad headaches, now runny nose and coughing. But never a fever. And I’m feeling so much better today. Considering my last booster was in November of last year, I’m pleasantly surprised at how I’m feeling.

DH had Covid at the end of July and was away for work at the time so I didn’t get it then. I’m super curious to see if he has any symptoms from me now having it. Hopefully his immunity will hold up.

Guess I’m waiting on that booster.

[underwaterrhymes]

I have my second booster scheduled for Tuesday! I was a little confused when I tried to schedule online because it doesn’t specify that it’s the new one, but when we called, CVS said they’re only administering the bivalent booster now.

[seeyalater52]

Sept 4, 2022 17:17:41 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I have my second booster scheduled for Tuesday! I was a little confused when I tried to schedule online because it doesn’t specify that it’s the new one, but when we called, CVS said they’re only administering the bivalent booster now.

They can no longer administer the old booster as the EUA for that one was pulled when the new booster was approved by the FDA on august 31st. It’s good to call ahead though just to be sure they actually have it in stock, although the CVS scheduling system updated yesterday and seems to be pretty accurate about which stores are offering it. I’m glad you got scheduled!

[suzubell]

Are second boosters approved for everyone now? I think I missed it if so…

[dancingirl21]

Sept 4, 2022 17:38:31 GMT -5 suzubell said:

Are second boosters approved for everyone now? I think I missed it if so…

It’s the bivalent booster. Pfizer is approved for anyone 12+ and Moderna 18+. You must have completed your primary doses or your most recent booster 2+ months ago to receive the bivalent booster.

[fortnightlily]

Sept 5, 2022 6:39:49 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Sept 4, 2022 18:32:21 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

It’s the bivalent booster. Pfizer is approved for anyone 12+ and Moderna 18+. You must have completed your primary doses or your most recent booster 2+ months ago to receive the bivalent booster.

@@@

So should I be getting my 12 yo boosted a second time?

All three of my kids had their booster at the beginning of June.

There is a preprint study showing the booster doesn't provide as much protection if you get it too soon after getting a prior booster or having a recent infection. So I've seen epidemiologists who read the data recommend everyone (unless you are high risk/have extenuating circumstances) wait at least 2 months, ideally 3-4 or even 6 in those cases.

[seeyalater52]

Folks there is an entire covid @ thread to ask these questions in.

[af1212]

Sept 5, 2022 7:59:36 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Folks there is an entire covid @ thread to ask these questions in.

I’m sorry I did not see it.

[dancingirl21]

I’m confused. I took 2 at-home tests yesterday morning. One was negative, the other was very faintly positive. I have symptoms - headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat. So I assume I’m positive. I took another test last night and one this morning and both are negative. There are other members of my family who have had the same symptoms over the last 2 weeks but have tested negative, so probably a different cold for them.

Is a false positive something that can happen? I thought not. I’m getting a PCR tomorrow to confirm.

[wanderingback]

Sept 5, 2022 11:52:02 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

I’m confused. I took 2 at-home tests yesterday morning. One was negative, the other was very faintly positive. I have symptoms - headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat. So I assume I’m positive. I took another test last night and one this morning and both are negative. There are other members of my family who have had the same symptoms over the last 2 weeks but have tested negative, so probably a different cold for them.

Is a false positive something that can happen? I thought not. I’m getting a PCR tomorrow to confirm.

It’s rare but yes false positives are possible.
Also could have a very low viral load.

Here’s an article discussing a study and how many false positives they had- jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788067

[dancingirl21]

Sept 5, 2022 12:12:58 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Sept 5, 2022 11:52:02 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

I’m confused. I took 2 at-home tests yesterday morning. One was negative, the other was very faintly positive. I have symptoms - headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat. So I assume I’m positive. I took another test last night and one this morning and both are negative. There are other members of my family who have had the same symptoms over the last 2 weeks but have tested negative, so probably a different cold for them.

Is a false positive something that can happen? I thought not. I’m getting a PCR tomorrow to confirm.

It’s rare but yes false positives are possible.
Also could have a very low viral load.

Here’s an article discussing a study and how many false positives they had- jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2788067

Thanks! I guess the PCR tomorrow should tell me one way or another.

Ordinarily I would just assume I’m positive and move on, but with the booster now being available, I’d like to get it soon if I don’t actually have Covid.

[waverly]

Sept 5, 2022 11:52:02 GMT -5 dancingirl21 said:

I’m confused. I took 2 at-home tests yesterday morning. One was negative, the other was very faintly positive. I have symptoms - headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat. So I assume I’m positive. I took another test last night and one this morning and both are negative. There are other members of my family who have had the same symptoms over the last 2 weeks but have tested negative, so probably a different cold for them.

Is a false positive something that can happen? I thought not. I’m getting a PCR tomorrow to confirm.

We’ve been testing everyone daily when we started with symptoms. I gave up on DH- he never turned it positive. One of us was positive immediately. Mine took 4 days before if turned positive, and I had all the symptoms for days. I can’t get the other person to test positive. It’s been 6 days for them. Maybe it’s because we are vaccinated/ low viral load. But it’s been a crapshoot for us. I know we all have Covid and only 2 have turned a positive test.

[beerlover]

Covid finally got me after 2.5 years.

Felt fine all weekend, did numerous activities. Went to a picnic at H's family's yesterday. Of course it was indoors because the weather was shitty. I felt fine when we got there. There were 2 really big dogs in the house though, and within minutes I was sneezing a ton, which is not unusual for me at all because I am highly allergic to dogs. Continued on to my mom's house for a picnic there in the evening. Was still kind of sneezy but it's typical of me to have an allergy attack and then not be able to shake it for a few hours. I went to bed feeling better after taking some Benadryl, and I woke up really cold. And then sweaty and then I figured ugh, this might be something else, so I tested. Blah. At the moment my symptoms are just feeling generally foggy/weird and also headache/chills. I'm going to take the afternoon off. Of course I am feeling a ton of guilt because of all the people I was around all weekend. This isn't great for my anxious brain

[Velar Fricative]

Back at work after I was on vacation last week and we had so many cases, sigh. Just like in June so this looks to be an every 3 months thing. But overall all quite mild and nothing near what we experienced in the December/January surge, thankfully.

[formerlyak]

Got boosted this morning. This one hurt going in. It was Moderna, so same as all my others (original series and two boosters before this). It was even the same pharmacist who administered my first booster. But it hurt. She said this one is known to have stronger side effects from what she is hearing because it has the original stuff plus the two new variants. So ... yay.

[YeahSure]

My dad has cancer and we see him at least every other week, so we are trying so hard to not get it. We have the appointment for the updated booster in two weeks, and I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that we can venture out more than we have been.

Edited to add that we are also worried about our own comorbidities. (Which my husband always reminds me of, but I'm SO focused on my dad that I forget). lol

[litebright]

I'm debating on both timing and Pfizer vs. Moderna. I've had all Pfizer so far. I felt yucky for about 36 hours with the first dose, no noticeable reaction from the second and I felt freaking fantastic after the booster. Like, so good that I am tempted to go with Pfizer again just to see if I get that result again. But I feel like I ought to go with Moderna to change things up?

Had covid in early June, so I'm leaning toward late September/early October.

[Velar Fricative]

Sept 6, 2022 12:25:23 GMT -5 litebright said:

I'm debating on both timing and Pfizer vs. Moderna. I've had all Pfizer so far. I felt yucky for about 36 hours with the first dose, no noticeable reaction from the second and I felt freaking fantastic after the booster. Like, so good that I am tempted to go with Pfizer again just to see if I get that result again. But I feel like I ought to go with Moderna to change things up?

Had covid in early June, so I'm leaning toward late September/early October.

We are exactly the same in terms of Pfizer for all three plus an early June infection lol. I'm sticking with Pfizer because I had zero side effects from any of my previous three doses. I know you had some side effects, but you're on a pretty good run with your doses lol. If the benefit to mixing were way more significant than evidence shown (like having a way more significant chance of hospitalization if not mixing), then I'd consider mixing but I wouldn't mess with a good thing, IMO. 

ETA: Oh, and I'm also getting it in October. I want to time it with the flu shot, even if I get them separately. Just easier to remember that way!

[ssmjlm]

CW got Moderna and said this booster is the worst she has ever felt of the 4 she's gotten. She warned me to have some cushion because she was thankful the holiday was yesterday and no work.

[pixy0stix]

Sept 6, 2022 13:01:22 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

CW got Moderna and said this booster is the worst she has ever felt of the 4 she's gotten. She warned me to have some cushion because she was thankful the holiday was yesterday and no work.

[mskitkat]

Sept 6, 2022 13:01:22 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

CW got Moderna and said this booster is the worst she has ever felt of the 4 she's gotten. She warned me to have some cushion because she was thankful the holiday was yesterday and no work.

Oof. Good to know. I will book my H and I several days apart just in case.

[neverfstop]

Got my Moderna booster + flu shot on Sunday about 4. Was pretty tired on Monday, took naps, got the chills, but wasn't out of commission. Went to bed about 8 last night & feel 95% back to normal today.