Astra Zeneca

[WLLady]

We lost 8 in my extended family so far to covid. My one uncle was one of the first cases in the Barrie area. My aunt also got it but somehow managed to survive-but is now in long term care and not expected to ever be off oxygen and critical care because of the scarring in her lungs. And it's all on my mother's side. another aunt and uncle and 2 cousins died in manitoba-it literally came into the family and wiped out the entire family of 4. gone. My mom is the last sister so far unscathed out of 4 sisters, and we have lost cousins and second cousins all in the first 6-8 months of the pandemic. My mom has her first shot, and is due for her second and we cannot get her second anywhere.....she's finally called her GP to try to get it moving. There absolutely HAS to be some kind of genetic predisposition that this thing hits hard....sigh. So we all lined up as soon as we possibly could for vaccines. Nothing has been more frustrating than trying to GET a vaccine-even though i work in a lab and was considered essential for my workplace i wasn't eligible because i wasn't working directly with patients. I finally managed after a month on 7 wait lists, to get my first AZ shot (and it knocked me off my feet for a day, and the headache didn't go away for almost a week!) through a pharmacy...i just got a notice yesterday from another wait list (that i cancelled off of) that i had an appointment....? So i called and cancelled it too, and they said "oh, we don't have any more vaccine, that must have been an error". This roll out has been abysmal! I just hope we can actually get our second AZ shots-i do not agree with mixing and matching. i will if i must, but i would really prefer not to. We are due early august, so i sure hope they get this all figured out soon-i know people that are due to get boosted next week and they still haven't heard how to get their shot.....

[Jaye]

We lost 8 in my extended family so far to covid. My one uncle was one of the first cases in the Barrie area. My aunt also got it but somehow managed to survive-but is now in long term care and not expected to ever be off oxygen and critical care because of the scarring in her lungs. And it's all on my mother's side. another aunt and uncle and 2 cousins died in manitoba-it literally came into the family and wiped out the entire family of 4. gone. My mom is the last sister so far unscathed out of 4 sisters, and we have lost cousins and second cousins all in the first 6-8 months of the pandemic. My mom has her first shot, and is due for her second and we cannot get her second anywhere.....she's finally called her GP to try to get it moving. There absolutely HAS to be some kind of genetic predisposition that this thing hits hard....sigh. So we all lined up as soon as we possibly could for vaccines. Nothing has been more frustrating than trying to GET a vaccine-even though i work in a lab and was considered essential for my workplace i wasn't eligible because i wasn't working directly with patients. I finally managed after a month on 7 wait lists, to get my first AZ shot (and it knocked me off my feet for a day, and the headache didn't go away for almost a week!) through a pharmacy...i just got a notice yesterday from another wait list (that i cancelled off of) that i had an appointment....? So i called and cancelled it too, and they said "oh, we don't have any more vaccine, that must have been an error". This roll out has been abysmal! I just hope we can actually get our second AZ shots-i do not agree with mixing and matching. i will if i must, but i would really prefer not to. We are due early august, so i sure hope they get this all figured out soon-i know people that are due to get boosted next week and they still haven't heard how to get their shot.....

I'm so sorry that you have has so many losses in your family. How awful for you and the rest of your family members who have somehow managed to avoid being infected.
I agree with you about the mix 'n match thing: there is already some warnings coming out of trials in the UK about much more severe side effects when switching to a different vaccine. I am staying the course and getting my second AZ shot as soon as it's offered. I'm due in July at the latest, by my calculations (first shot was March 14). I haven't heard anything from EOHU about a follow-up shot yet, and am starting think I had better try to get an appointment locally anyway. I'm thinking that it shouldn't be too difficult to find somewhere that is offering AZ, given that there are quite a number of people who had their first AZ shots who are now all saying "I want Pfizer or Moderna for my second shot, NOT AZ"..

[labradors]

Jaye, I just read that they are offering AZ second shots to people in Ontario. Apparently, you can contact the pharmacy that gave you your first shot to arrange the second.

Linda

[Jaye]

Jaye, I just read that they are offering AZ second shots to people in Ontario. Apparently, you can contact the pharmacy that gave you your first shot to arrange the second.

Linda

Thanks, Labradors ... Yes, I did read and hear about that too, but I don't want to have to make another four hour road trip to Kingston and back if I can avoid it. I will if I have to, but would rather find something closer to home.

[Kbr42]

I had AZ and fit in the March 10-19 timeliness. I sure my pharmacists hates when my number comes up..I called today. They aren't getting any vaccines. I had my first shot. I would get my second. Since, I'm typing this..clearly I'm around..just sayin

[Brebis]

I’m eligible for the second AZ shot too here in Kingston, checked at my little local pharmacy and they’re still not sure how it will all work and will contact those that got the shot there. There are something like 55,000 doses that will expire May 31st so they need to use them up...

[Jaye]

What really p*sses me off is that while I was told that I would be notified when I could get my next shot, I am getting the distinct impression that we are ALL ON OUR OWN. Again. We have now basically been told "Thanks for doing your bit towards 75% herd immunity, but hey, do your own scheduling for your second shot." And now they're claiming problems with the AZ supply chain? Really?!?! They rallied around those who chose to get AZ, and now we are left twisting in the wind. WTF.

[Killerbunny]

I also heard that A-Z rehappy for the doses to be used up to 6 minths after expiry because the data supports that. Malawi is now going to destroy several hundred thousand donated doses because they will expire. This is just craziness and politics @Jaye !!! Hope you and Ron get your shots (and everyone ekse)

[Kbr42]

I agree it's not easy to get shots. I'm going to give the government lots of chances here. I'm pretty sure no one has had to vaccinate the world! I think our government has stumbled....but to be fair they have never had to manage a pandemic before. At least, they have finally stopped trying to reinvent the wheel and are following a reopening model that seems to have worked across the pond.

[WLLady]

So i just got an email from the pharmacy that we got our first shots at. Apparently the gov of ontario has told them to compile a list of everyone wanting the AZ second shot and get it to them and they will provide AZ for all those wanting it as their second shot. So we are on the list for first week of august. PHEW. Anyone that hasn't received their first shots are to go to the provincial centers and get either moderna or pfizer as all the existing AZ are earmarked now for second shots.
And they stated that the chance of blood clots after the second AZ shot is about 1:600000 based on the UK and other countries studies.