Good Q&A / recommendations on the PFE vaccine and these vaccines generally. Stuff like if you should get it near other vaccines like flu, if you have now or had in the past covid already, pregnancy issues, etc.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2020-12/slides-12-12/COVID-03-Mbaeyi.pdf
what exactly is âessential workerâ? I work to support the electrical grid so do I qualify?
I actually signed up to be in the vaccine trial but was not picked. Life is full of risk and this to me is an easy calculation and I would get it as soon as Iâm eligible without cutting in line.
These decisions are made at the state level, so check with whatever state vaccine resources you can find. I know Iâve been getting texts from by nearby hospital about their vaccine status (âcoming soonâ, âgot the first batchâ), I suspect mostly to preempt lots of people calling to bother them about it.
Definitely confusing how they use the same term for multiple things.
Thereâs a ton of essential workers in the definition you refer to. Thatâs the essential âcannot closeâ workers. I think this only applies to exempting employer compliance with health directives.
The state directives in my state looks like it defines essential workers for stage 2 as primarily retail sales workers with public interaction. (Somewhat opposite of essential workers during the rest of this year so far). Maybe they also include government/ infrastructure, but itâs not listed on the slides Iâve seen.
It somewhat makes sense as those people are some of the people who have been hardest hit with infections/ deaths. Yet to be seen how much rules fatigue offices get as we get the minimal initial supply of vaccines rolled out.
In my state, it seems to be liquor store employees, home construction trades, and landscapers. 
PFE case of a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine in someone with no history of allegries.
out of thousands soon to be millions
there will always be outliers
moderna and the rest donât need the drastic refrigeration requirements. Even the Pfizer vial might have multiple doses that they didnât initially factor in the vial mathâŚ
Iâll get it when itâs available for the general public. Incidentally once it gets to that point, there wonât be a need for a vaccination immunity certificate or anything similar. People will realize they need the vaccine and will get shamed for getting it like smokers that get lung cancer.
From your mouth âŚ
got my Pfizer yesterday. Soreness, chills but no other side effects⌠so far. Have to return on 1/11 for the 2nd.
Iâve got to be honest, the mRNA vaccines make me nervous. Itâs never been used at this scale before and my wife has an allergy which make getting one potentially risky given the issues that have been reported thus far. Long term side effects arenât clear to me, either.
Iâd prefer to wait for J&Jâs vaccine which does not use the mRNA technology.
JNJ is expecting to get approved in late Jan and start vaccine distribution for Feb.
AFAIK, the issues are only with allergies to the vaccine components, not allergies in general. Is she allergic to other vaccines/ medicines?
She has a shellfish allergy which causes anaphylaxis. Itâs not terrible, e.g. I can eat shellfish at a restaurant and itâs not an issue for her, but itâs bad enough that she carries an epipen in case she needs it. As far as we know, she does not have an allergy to any medications.
It wasnât clear to me, reading the initial reports, if they had figured out what exactly was the trigger. In either case, weâre going to be some of the last people eligible for a vaccine, and if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is an option at that point, weâll probably go that route instead of the Pfizer/Moderna mRNA option.
I would wait if I was in your shoes for J&Jâs vaccine . BTW w/ precaution since it use genetic material too. just not mRNA J&J pause adds to adenovirus vaccine doubts | Evaluate
Speaking of components, hereâs whatâs in the PFE vaccine.
Seems like we have a long ways to go yetâŚ
This is just my opinion, but I think that article is more propaganda to make people behave during the transition period when people are incrementally getting vaccinated than backed by good science / health policy.
Given this virus isnât going away, you are going to get exposed if you go back to normal activities. And everyone wants to go back to normal activities and not hiding in their basement alone. This exposure will be, for nearly everyone, a good thing after youâve been vaccinated and had the requisite two weeks to develop your antibodies. Your immune system will already be primed to recognize the spike protein and mount a quick and effective response and youâll be over it possibly without even knowing it. Better, after exposure to and fighting off the real virus, youâll now have antibodies and immune memory to all aspects of the virus, not just the spike protein, so youâll have more robust, broad spectrum immune recognition which could be useful to protect you against some of the mutated strains running around out there.
I donât know if they have specific known triggers, I donât think theyâve announced any yet. Other vaccines have allergic reactions, theyâre also rare though.
https://acaai.org/news/american-college-allergy-asthma-and-immunology-releases-guidance-risk-allergic-reactions-pfizer
Relevant from their list of recommendations:
" 1. Individuals with common allergies to medications, foods, inhalants, insects, and latex are no more likely than the general public to have an allergic reaction to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Those patients should be informed of the benefits of the vaccine versus its risks."
â4. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should not be administered to individuals with a known history of a severe allergic reaction to polyethylene glycol as it is a component of this vaccine that is known to cause anaphylaxis.
5. Data related to risk in individuals with a history of allergic reactions to previous vaccinations and/or mast cell activation syndrome/idiopathic anaphylaxis is very limited and evolving. A decision to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should be undertaken by you with your physician or other provider administering the vaccine using their professional judgment balancing the benefits and risks associated with taking the vaccine.â