Received first vaccine shot, was advised not to travel yet

We received our first vaccine shot(Moderna) today and will get the 2nd one in month from today. I asked the pharmacist her advice on traveling and she said that in her opinion, it is not advisable until you are fully inoculated ( actually 95% from vaccine), which would be about 2 weeks after getting the 2nd shot. That puts us right in the middle of our upcoming trip. So in evaluating risk/reward, I think we will postpone our trip and reschedule for November. I am sure there will be different opinions on this, but each has to make the decision that they feel comfortable with.

We got he Pfizer and just scheduled our second shot for 22nd of February. We fly out domestic on March 3rd. Not worried at all about the 2 week guideline.

From what I read the Modera and Pfizer vaccines prevent serious medical issues with contracting the disease BUT they do not prevent you from getting the virus and do not prevent you from transmitting the virus...but now the Astra Zeneca vaccine DOES prevent both ...TBD

Sammy feel free to comment

Correct on what Pfizer and Moderna provides but jury is still out on Astra Zeneca preventing transmission. Its indicated it could but not yet confirmed.

I have to be honest. When I get the vaccine, I will not be concerned about the possibility of transmitting infection to those who choose not to get vaccinated. That's their choice, and not my responsibility. In the end, we are all responsible for ourselves. At least that's how it should be.

Georgia--Perhaps you can make that judgment when the vaccine is available to everyone who wants it, which frankly it will not be, for quite a long time yet...

Just because you got vaccine and others who want it can't isn't their fault and need the protection from others.

A close friend of mine and his wife were supposed to get first shot today. Drove an hour to their appointment only to find out it was canceled and no prior notification given. Reason was they canceled all first shots to make sure that second shots could be given on time with inventory provided. We get our second shot on 22nd. Won't relax until it's in our arms.
Hope you and Eric are able to get yours soon.

Here in RI we can't even get first shot and hubby is 85. He was supposed to be in the next group but the state chose to vaccinate towns that have a higher rate of COVID so our town was not and then they ran out.

We "may" travel to SXM end of Feb.---at least we're booked but may cancel anytime. Was ready to cancel when the change came from 120 to 72 hrs. Now I read it might change back. So if we go we'll wait until return to vaccinate. Decided that after reading Sandflip's post. Also, since I'm 72 yrs old I wouldn't be in the same group as hubby for vaccination so better to wait until we both can be.

Rosemary--I feel your pain. Eric's mom is 93 and is in a nursing home, and she has only received her first shot, no word when she will receive the second. Something is seriously f*ed up, that many people in Florida who are much younger and at much less risk, have received both shots. The vaccination system for nursing homes in Florida went totally sideways, so much so that the state is now taking away the contracts for those who were supposed to administer it, resulting in first and/or second shots being cancelled in many cases, without knowing when they will actually be administered. Meanwhile, we are on 5 different waiting lists and have no clue whether we might get it next week or two months from now. We are scheduled to go to SXM in June and just praying that we will have the shots by then.

Hopefully when the single dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine gets authorized it will become more readily available for you all. Here in Washington St some people with appointments for first shots were canceled to make sure the second shot are given on schedule. Happened to friends of ours yesterday after an hours drive. I'll be relieved when second shot is in my arm.

Frankly, I don't really want the J & J shot, as it has only proven to be about 75% effective, versus over 90% for the other two. Although I doubt very seriously I will have any choice, a person will get what they have and you have no choice.

If you are vaccinated and many others are not it does not mean you have antibodies to not get COVID-19 but that if you get the virus your symptoms will be less severe. Do your research and remember children can also get COVID-19 and not all children are healthy and protected.

Now they are saying J&J are 84% effective. Correct, you don't have a choice at least for now. Non of the vaccines make you immune. Just provides that you'll have less symptoms which would cause hospitalization or death.

They are changing their tune about it, I guess because people didn't like how low of effectivity it had..

I just canceled our March trip and will reschedule for November.

Not sure that is how it works. It still has to pass all qualifications and results from studies and trials for authorization.

Had our second Pfizer shot yesterday. Hillsborough County did an excellent job with their drive through vaccinations. Now we can breathe before our trip in March. We will still practice all safe guidelines.

Glad that Hillsborough County did a good job. Polk County sucks.

Carol, we live in Pinellas but was very happy to secure a slot in Hillsborough. I would have traveled the West Coast! Glad the deed is done.

Tampa is 1.5 hours one way from here, with no traffic, Orlando the same. That's just too far for me, even if I knew that I could get a shot there. For whatever reason, Polk County has gotten the short end of the stick, versus the number of people AND the number of confirmed cases, getting about HALF what we should be getting..

Any side effects to that second shot and was it a Pfizer?

Just a sore arm and yes Pfizer. Just happy to have had both shots!

Great. I have heard second shot reactions are worse than first. Sore arm isn't bad.

We spoke with a female last night, probably mid-40's, who had her second shot and she had a lot of problems. She was eligible for the shot based upon her employment. She also said she would likely have not taken the vaccine now had she known the side effects she would experience. She had the Pfizer version. Another female friend in her early 40's also had some pretty uncomfortable reactions to the Pfizer vaccine. She works in the medical field.

My wife has had the first dose of Moderna and no problems so far. She got it about 2 weeks ago.

What kind of problems??? Even many younger people who have gotten Covid have been VERY VERY sick. And some people have experienced issues months after supposedly having recovered. The potential risk, unless you have allergic issues, is very much worth it.

We both had the 1st Moderna shot on Thursday, no side effects.

Guess I'll find out on the 22nd.

She said it really hit her hard and had she known, she would not have gotten the vaccine. Very sore, basically said she felt like a truck had hit her. Several people we have encountered have mentioned some minor issues on the second dose. Our 84 year old neighbor goes for her second dose on March 20.

Sorry she had sure a bad reaction. Hoping mine will be mild.

And how long did that last??

Both people that indicated a reaction after the second shot said it lasted for several days and some minor lingering effects lasting longer. The people we talked to do not live in the same state nor do they know each other but both indicated it was a rough few days. None of this was hearsay, it was direct conversation with the involved. The one girl was adamant about regretting taking the vaccine after the reaction she experienced.

Others can decide for themselves. I am just posting what we were personally told by people who have had both doses. I can't recall anyone I have talked to mentioning anything other than a little site soreness after the first injection.

Hopefully they reported their reaction to the company involved.

No idea on that. I doubt it would do much good since there are potential side effects with about any medication.

My wife and 2 of my daughters have all had 2 shots of the Pfizer vaccine. None had any issues after the 1st shot. My 2 daughters both did not feel good during the night after the 2nd shot (chills, headache, etc.). Both went to work the next day. Although it was not great, both said it was nothing that would deter them from getting the shot again. My wife had no issues after the 2nd shot.

J had his first shot a while back - seems that age does have some privileges - and he had no ill effects from the first one other than a momentary soreness in the shoulder that passed quickly. We have heard others say the second injection can be a very different story. Hoping that’s wrong but will let you know once it’s done.

Fingers crossed for us. Don't want those side affects.

Here is a story about bigger reaction to the second shot. Nothing to worry about, according to the story.

Sounds like fun times for second shot. " Kicked in teeth". Ouch.

Just as a point of reference, per the CDC, the seasonal flu vaccine effectiveness rate has ranged from 19 to 60 percent since 2009-10. In the last five years, the range has been 29 to 48 percent.

CDC LINK

Please those who have the second vaccine either MdRNA or Pfizer if you would please post your experience... Thanks!

I’m still awaiting my second Moderna vaccination, with no effects at all from the first I might add, but DH is done with both. He had no reaction at all to the first and a mild case of chills the evening after the second one but that was the full extent of his reaction. By the next morning he was good to go and hopefully that will be the case with most of us.

When you have the option - get the shot!

We got our 2nd shot (moderna) on Thursday , no side effects.

👍

I was reading something online today that said fully 50% of people have no side effects, except perhaps some arm soreness.

I would say that is pretty close considering people I know that have had both types of shots.

Side effects will typically be a greater possibility with a two injection vaccine like the mRNA vaccines being used for COVID. The first dose basically introduces an inactive virus into our bodies which begins to the creation of neutralizing antibodies. Then, along comes the second dose and this spurs a greater reaction because now the immune system has been alerted, and that triggers an immune response. Some people who have a mild reaction to the first dose may have already been previously infected with COVID, but were asymptomatic and may never have known they were COVID positive. My personal vaccinations were back in February (1st and 22nd) with the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine and basically nothing unusual after the first shot, but after the second dose I got pretty tired later that evening (fatigued, I suppose), but nine hours of deep sleep rectified that. The next day I had some mild sinus headaches and some nasal congestion, but a single Zyrtec handles this and by the evening I was back to normal. Side effects are typically more intense in younger people (say under 55) because their immune systems are more robust, where as in the elderly our immune systems slowly, gradually diminish.

BTW, The Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine is still a highly effective, state of the art vaccine that should not be passed on if the opportunity arises. The key is to prevent serious respiratory illness and eventual hospitalization, and all of the present COVID-19 vaccines deliver in that area. And, despite what might be on the news you can safely travel 13 to 15 days after the second dose (or first dose with J&J) if you want to travel and deal with the hassle of all the regulations in place.