I survived the AstraZenica vaccine.

[Andy]

Do the stats show if they were eligible for a vaccine?

[Dr_Dave]

Really good to read all your positive comments regarding getting vaccinated!
Stats today from NSW (publicly available, so I am not breaching medical privilege) -are 43 people in ICU, 42 of them unvaccinated...
Stay well
Dr Dave

[fatboy_1999]

Got my 2nd AZ jab booked for tomorrow. It's in the afternoon at Sandown, but hopefully with a booking it won't take too long.

[Caffeinator]

Had my 2nd AZ at MCEC yesterday. I was booked and pretty much walked straight in.

There was a queue of perhaps 200m or so for Pfizer and they were not taking anyone without a booking. Ironically, a couple in their 40s? tried to talk their way in for an AZ and security sent them away. Seems as if you want AZ, unless you're either >60 or have already had your first, it's not happening unless your local doctor comes to the party... Once inside, only 3 nurses were allocated to AZ and there were 40 doing Pfizer.

Feeling fine today. Perhaps a very mild headache 1/10 last night and this morning, but that was it.

[Andy]

amberale

Our second shot is due mid August. We tried to book for our second shot in Geelong last week. Nope, only booking one week ahead and not taking walk ups.
“Wait and we’ll email you” was the emailed response.

Seems that Geelong does it in 1 week batches. It was 12 weeks this Tuesday since my first shot, Paula was about a week later than me but we both received our Barwon Health emails yesterday.

I've booked for Thursday morning and had a choice of every 10 minute block through the day, so don't stress, seems there are plenty of spots they are just batching all the bookings in week windows.

[lancruiser]

Yes, I booked weeks ahead. They are still taking walk-ins for AstraZeneca (but not Pfizer) at the Exhibition Building today.

[amberale]

Did you have to book LC?
Our second shot is due mid August.
We tried to book for our second shot in Geelong last week.
We’ll take it early or trying to get our late August date booked as we were advised when we got our first shot.
Nope, only booking one week ahead and not taking walk ups.
“Wait and we’ll email you” was the emailed response.

[lancruiser]

I received my second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine early this morning at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne. It was very quiet when I reached the venue but it became quite busy when I left. It's good to see that there is much interests in the vaccines.

I feel well with perhaps a slight headache; probably due more to having to wake up early on a Sunday morning than the vaccine.

In such a vaccine hub, they hold you for 15 minutes after the shot to make sure you are well. I observed that there are chairs arranged in 2 columns reserved for AstraZeneca patients and 4 columns reserved for Pfizer patients. There are more rows of chairs taken up for Pfizer than AstraZeneca despite having half the columns. Seems that we have a perfectly good vaccine in the AstraZeneca with few up-take. That is so sad!

There was another 2 deaths from the Sydney outbreak announced today. That brings the total to 8 in this Sydney outbreak alone and over 900 deaths for the entirely pandemic. In contrast, we have a total of 6 deaths around Australia from vaccine reaction. I will take the AstraZeneca any day.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Yeh, so there's no big problem if you are in the range where AZ is (or was) one of the preferred vaccines. But if you are in the range where the Pfizer is the preferred vaccine there are significant shortages and delays, and if you are under 40 and wish to follow the TGA's advice.....well...you have to wait.

[Brewster]

@BarryOSpeedwagon
Over 60 so eligible for AZ only.

[amberale]

I’m 59, the Studmistress is 58.
We both got our AstraZ shots in minutes at Geelong.
Are you waiting for the Pfizer?
No probs if you are but the AZ should be available now for anyone over 40 afaik.

[Steve82]

The conflating of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) with the possible disease (COVID-19) in most communications from govt / media has been very well done leaving many confused.

The vaccines are just priming or training the immune system to recognise the spike protein on the virus, so that when you encounter the virus your immune system jumps on it straight away. This may still produce some mild symptoms but its likely you will not get really sick and develop the disease and require hospitalisation.

Both the vaccines make some of your cells produce just the spike protein but go about it in different ways.

The main problem with the virus is that it is very good at evading detection by the immune system, so that when the immune system catches on the virus has replicated /spread so much that the immune response causes damage to vital organs.

Its looking very likely that SARS-CoV-2 will become endemic and will require yearly modified vaccinations like with influenza viruses.

[magnafunk]

As far as I can tell, if you're under 60 you're out of luck. There was a brief window in Victoria where you could book a pfizer shot but it is now out of stock. Every week I hear they're reopening bookings "next week" but still haven't managed to find an appointment.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Brewster What age range are you in?

It's not typically a problem if you are in one of the age ranges openned up for ready vaccination.

[Brewster]

Hard to just say yes when the shot is unavailable to the majority of the population

I see this comment a lot on various sites and have to say that I'm not sure why, as that has not been my experience.
It's generally not clear if people are referring to all brands or a particular brand (Pfizer) or whether I happen be in an area well supplied with AZ, although I see the same comments on local sites.
All I know is that a couple of weeks ago I rang my GP on a Monday and was booked in on the Tuesday with other spots still available. My wife allowed a couple of days in case I had any of the usual reactions (which I didn't) and booked in on the following Friday, again with plenty of times still available. We both had AZ.
Although this was with my local GP, anyone could book in, not just existing patients.