Booster vaccines, eligibility and travel bookings

Apparently 1 week short is the maximum if going to the major vaccination hub.

Maybe in SA but at Olympic Park in NSW ( main hub) i know someone who was able to walk in 5 weeks early because of travel.
 
Maybe in SA but at Olympic Park in NSW ( main hub) i know someone who was able to walk in 5 weeks early because of travel.
There's been mixed reports about the success of being able to do that according to some on AFF but it seems sensible. Which likely means it is banned in SA. Just like the RAT however I have managed to get some because maybe that's why Spurrier wants to ban interstate travel so we can't walk into a supermarket and get some. 🤔
 
Spoke to my GP this week, about our UK visit in March 22. He is happy to give my booster earlier than 6mths, so will go along in about 5 weeks so not too close to departure. He said don't book, just walk in.

Mrsoatek had her booster at 4.5 months - GP said when in about something unrelated, we have to throw out the Pfizer in a day or so, better to shove it into arms even if a bit early.
 
SWMBO and I got our boosters over the weekend for imminent overseas travel in WA. I was exactly 6 months on from my second dose but my partner was about 2 weeks early.

Spoke to a local chemist and they were happy to do the booster after getting the context of where we were going. Terry White did want us to book online but it was straight forward and convenient. Jabbed both of us in seconds and said he “looks forward to seeing us when the next one is due… probably when they reformulate for Omicron”.

WA State run clinics wouldn’t jab us early, they have to abide by a minimum time between calculator on their patient management system. Even one day early was too early for them but they were quite happy to refer us to a chemist.
 
Does the booster give you any side effects ? Pfizer .
That depends on individuals reactions. I had Pfizer
  • no reaction to the first shot not even a sore arm,
  • an adverse reaction to the second shot - approximately 14 hours of chills (wearing two sets of thermals, full ski gear, two doonas and sitting in front of a heater when it was 25 degrees outside)
  • Had booster three and a half weeks ago and still struggling - chills, sweats, headaches, nausea and a sore arm for the first two weeks including a bruise and lump in the armpit of the injected arm. Still experiencing mild nausea and headaches from time to time but generally now it is just ongoing fatigue.
I have no health issues other than an underactive thyroid controlled by medication so guess I am just one of the unlucky ones. Probably biggest issue was that I could not stop for a day off as I clear the border and we are seriously short staffed - my own worst enemy. That said, I would still have the booster/s when they come up - if I feel that coughpy from the vaccine then chances are I would not make it through if I actually caught Covid.

Only query I would have with having booster shots early would be if travel insurance was still valid? Yes you would be vaccinated but you would not have had the shots at the required intervals if you have them early. Not sure how early shots work with the efficacy of the vaccine.

Medicare updated my vaccination status the following day so proof was quick.

Enjoy your travels - lucky you!
 
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That depends on individuals reactions. I had Pfizer
  • no reaction to the first shot not even a sore arm,
  • an adverse reaction to the second shot - approximately 14 hours of chills (wearing two sets of thermals, full ski gear, two doonas and sitting in front of a heater when it was 25 degrees outside)
  • Had booster three and a half weeks ago and still struggling - chills, sweats, headaches, nausea and a sore arm for the first two weeks including a bruise and lump in the armpit of the injected arm. Still experiencing mild nausea and headaches from time to time but generally now it is just ongoing fatigue.
I have no health issues other than an underactive thyroid controlled by medication so guess I am just one of the unlucky ones. Probably biggest issue was that I could not stop for a day off as I clear the border and we are seriously short staffed - my own worst enemy. That said, I would still have the booster/s when they come up - if I feel that coughpy from the vaccine then chances are I would not make it through if I actually caught Covid.

Only query I would have with having booster shots early would be if travel insurance was still valid? Yes you would be vaccinated but you would not have had the shots at the required intervals if you have them early. Not sure how early shots work with the efficacy of the vaccine.

Medicare updated my vaccination status the following day so proof was quick.

Enjoy your travels - lucky you!
Thanks . I was only I’ll for the day after the shot . Just weakness and slight flu like symptoms .
In Bangkok now . Flights to india with MAS keep getting cancelled !
 
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Reactions: DC3
I am 57 yr old male, reasonably healthy.

I had my Pfizer booster shot today at 4 months and 1 week since my 2nd AZ shot (31.07). The attending nurse asked me some questions and consent to having the booster early. I mentioned I was travelling to Thailand on Dec 17 and thought it was the right thing to do in the circumstances. She then went on to let me know about the possible side affects, and administered the shot.

No side effects so far and myGov updated with proof of vaccine plus new international vaccine passport within a couple of hours. Quite impressed about that actually…

It will be interesting to see if any questions are raised on arrival in Bangkok given my Thai Pass was secured prior to my getting the booster shot.
 
I am 57 yr old male, reasonably healthy.

I had my Pfizer booster shot today at 4 months and 1 week since my 2nd AZ shot (31.07). The attending nurse asked me some questions and consent to having the booster early. I mentioned I was travelling to Thailand on Dec 17 and thought it was the right thing to do in the circumstances. She then went on to let me know about the possible side affects, and administered the shot.

No side effects so far and myGov updated with proof of vaccine plus new international vaccine passport within a couple of hours. Quite impressed about that actually…

It will be interesting to see if any questions are raised on arrival in Bangkok given my Thai Pass was secured prior to my getting the booster shot.
I had my booster after getting the Thai pass as well . No questions asked .
 
I am 57 yr old male, reasonably healthy.

I had my Pfizer booster shot today at 4 months and 1 week since my 2nd AZ shot (31.07). The attending nurse asked me some questions and consent to having the booster early. I mentioned I was travelling to Thailand on Dec 17 and thought it was the right thing to do in the circumstances. She then went on to let me know about the possible side affects, and administered the shot.

No side effects so far and myGov updated with proof of vaccine plus new international vaccine passport within a couple of hours. Quite impressed about that actually…

It will be interesting to see if any questions are raised on arrival in Bangkok given my Thai Pass was secured prior to my getting the booster shot.
I had my 2nd AstraZeneca on the same day as you and travelling to the US on 23rd December. So far I’ve had no luck (in Brisbane) getting it early. May I ask where you were boosted? Thanks🙂
 
I had my 2nd AstraZeneca on the same day as you and travelling to the US on 23rd December. So far I’ve had no luck (in Brisbane) getting it early. May I ask where you were boosted? Thanks🙂
Not a problem. I had my booster shot at Seven Hills Medical Centre (NSW). I made the booking by phone last week,
 
I am booked for the USA around Australia Day which is a week before my 6 month AZinversary.

So I spoke to my GP who recommended a Pfizer booster in early January as the way to go.
 
I'm double Pfizer with three weeks to my 6mth anniversary.

Hoping that Moderna gets approved for a booster in the mean time.
Reasons - slightly different, more particles per dose.
 
Hunt just announced that the TGA has provisionally approved the Moderna booster shot for those aged 18 and over.

It now needs the approval from ATAGI to pass the next step.
 
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I read the article and it is by no means universally accepted as the best combination. But keep flogging the dead AZ horse, it will be a distant memory soon.

The MRNA vaccines are the ones coming out with new variant specific formulas.

Look at the data for NSW breakthrough cases and you see that majority of breakthrough cases are in the age cohort that had AZ (50 +).

Calm down, I don't know why you take it so personally.... I'm talking about the combination of AZ and mRNA being the best clinically tested combination available right now. There is nothing controversial about that. I'm not talking about double dosed individuals.... as I think you well know...

But If you are upset about only having 2 X mRNA yourself, don't worry it still has good levels of protection, though you probably want to get a booster a little earlier if you can, especially if travelling into hotspots like QLD ;)
 
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Moderna was just approved by TGA as a booster....

So will shortly 'officially' be allowed to be used!

More choice, more flexibility is good news.

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The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved the Moderna vaccine to be used for booster shots in adults.
“The TGA provisionally approved the booster dose following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy,” it said in a statement.

 
I'm talking about the combination of AZ and mRNA being the best clinically tested combination available right now.

That is your opinion based on 1 study not a universally accepted fact as you keep touting.

I will indeed be getting a MRNA booster when due, timed such that it is on a Friday so have a weekend to recover in case of any ill effects.

Note: the recent Lancet study was not for a 3rd Booster shot following 2 full doses. It looked at mixed doses for 2 shots i.e. 1 AZ dose followed by a second dose of either Moderna or Novovax and 1 PF dose followed by a second shot of either Moderna or Novovax.

It did not cover the scenarios which will apply here in Australia where you would have either:
  • 2 Pfizer + a Pfizer/Moderna Booster (well over 50% of Aussies)
  • 2 AZ + a Pfizer/Moderna Booster
  • 2 Moderna + a Pfizer/Moderna Booster or
  • 2 AZ + 3rd AZ - only permitted if have a medical contraindication for an MRNA vaccine.
 
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That is your opinion based on 1 study not a universally accepted fact as you keep touting.

I will indeed be getting a MRNA booster when due, timed such that it is on a Friday so have a weekend to recover in case of any ill effects.

Ok you do you as always 😆👍🏼
 
Moderna was just approved by TGA as a booster....

So will shortly 'officially' be allowed to be used!

More choice, more flexibility is good news.

----------


The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved the Moderna vaccine to be used for booster shots in adults.
“The TGA provisionally approved the booster dose following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy,” it said in a statement.

And in the real world the figures from the USA is that Moderna is a superior booster compared to Pfizer.
 

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