bivalent covid booster

[redbird]

I just made an appointment for a bivalent covid booster, Friday afternoon in Central Square.

If you get a covid vaccine booster in the US now, it will be bivalent: the older ones have lost their emergency use authorization and should no longer be available. This fact has not been well-publicized, and in fact I had trouble finding anything official about this after seeing it mentioned on a Discord server. Places it wasn't mentioned included the CVS and Walgreen's vaccine appointment websites, and the official Massachusetts vaccine finder website.

I'll be getting another Pfizer booster; while I have a vague preference for Moderna, I have a stronger preference for getting the vaccine in two days rather than two or three weeks. I'll be getting a flu vaccine at the same time; it may not do any good, but I'll be there anyway. (When I saw my neurologist last week, he said I should get a covid booster, despite the effects of the MS medication, but that he doubts the flu vaccine will do anything for MS patients who are taking Ocrevus.)

Since my last booster, CVS has added two new questions to the vaccine appointment process: have I had monoclonal antibodies against covid in the last 90 days (no, it's been more than 90 days since March) and have I had a monkeypox vaccine in the last four weeks.

Comments

[otter]

I need to get in for booster/flu shot combo soon. When I have time to take the next two or three days to be out of commission.
Edited to add that I find this blog helpful in general. https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/considerations-for-your-fall-booster

[calimac]

When did you get your last previous booster? I got mine in late April, and as far as I can tell I'm not eligible for the new one yet. Six months, they say.

[redbird]

January. That was a third full dose as immune-compromised patient, after the regular first two doses in winter of 2021, and then a booster in November 2021.

[ethelmay]

I've been seeing two months since last dose. Longest wait anyone else has reported is three months after infection.

[thistleingrey]

Yes, it's my understanding that jab #1, if one hasn't had it and takes it this fall, will still be the OG formulation for both Pfizer and Moderna awhile yet, but any subsequent jab (even if it's #2, at this point) will be the bivalent one.

Interesting how different companies have been gathering different types of data as they go. Safeway (slash Albertsons slash Vons/Pavilions) wants to know about meningitis, HPV, and Hep B vaccine status, but only for age groups that pertain to neither my mother and me--I booked covid jab #4 for her as a courtesy the other day. For myself, flu and first shingles jab seem more useful this month, since Reason and I are just wrapping up yet another mild covid re-exposure and I realized I can't handle the idea of risk for potentially worse neuralgia.

[ranunculus]

I got both vaccines last year and very much regret doing so as I had a bad reaction to ??? Both at the same time were a lot for my body.

[redbird]

I don't generally have strong side effects from vaccines, so I think I'll be OK.

[sine_nomine]

I was going to mention this, as well, with the caveat that of course you know your own body, ymmv, etc. But doing both together laid Sweetheart flat (including fever) - and Sweetheart's primary was like "You did what now?" when he learned of it (apparently Sweetheart's school nurse said two at once should be fine; primary doc said no and don't do it again... Sweetheart has some factors that would make getting COVID possibly very complicated, to boot).

Good luck with all of it!