As soon as the local pharmacy gets their shipments of each new mix.

mastodon.online/@michael_w_bus…

Michael Busch

2026-09-07 20:49:58

I have just gotten the current vaccines for influenza and COVID.

So, a perennial reminder for everyone:

#GetYourFluShot and your COVID vaccines.

On Sept 8th, as soon as one of the pharmacies got the new vaxx. There was *not* a line. Nor for the flu, which we'd gotten already (not having a big family holiday thing planned, we wanted it early, too.)

Will get the vaxx as long as it's offered, even if I have to go to Canada.

@gavin57
You can get them privately in England if you don’t meet any of the NHS eligibility criteria.

Though there will be those that can’t afford them of course. I think I paid something like £110 earlier this year. It’s probably about time I had another.

Would love to get the booster shots but not at £100... I originally hoped the price would come down after a few years but it's taking its sweet sweet time

I get the flu shots at least

I’ve been thinking about this more, and while I support visibility of any covid awareness, it might be good in future polls to have an option for “Masking or other mitigations.”

There are people, like my girlfriend with Long COVID, who do bot respond well to the vaccine. But she sure as hell takes all precautions on occasions she has to go out.

I just think it gives a bigger picture as to who still is trying not to get covid (or get it as bad, since the vax doesn’t prevent infect.)

But this fall's booster is late.

So was last Spring's.

Until this year, I got my annual COVID and flu shots in fall. Now, will have to check w/ my doctor.

This summer, the German Vaccination Commission (STIKO) changed the recommendation to people aged 75+ and vulnerable individuals. General immunity across the population has gone up to 95% due to vaccinations and past infections, so for healthy individuals under 75, the risk is considered low.

What strikes me is that in some countries the shots are either very expensive, or not covered by healthcare. Over here, they're covered, and even with private insurance, the jab is fixed price €13,58. £110 sounds scary.

I and my Dad are incredibly bloomin' vulnerable so I'd be the hypocrite to end all hypocrites if I didn't!

Six years and counting COVID-free!

@LevelUp My girlfriend who is immunocompromised does my research. She felt, at least a few years ago that NovaVax was slightly better for new variants.

However I have no hard current data to point to now, I’m sorry to say. And I don’t know if you can mix after having had one for some time.

Another thing to check out.

@NoRomBasic

Careful with that. COVID isn't seasonable like the flu. I've been working off of the theory that "the best time to get your booster is now".

@derthomas

@mbr wow this poll changed quickly. Yes was in minority position like an hour ago with 40% and now it's up at 81%.

I go to 1 hour of work and everything changes

@colorblindcowboy
There were some episodes of TWIV that looked at lasting immune response, but the data is likely to come from mostly people who went through some infections as well as boosters. Iirc any booster is better than none; and boosters with other vaccines than you had before is preferrable because it induces a new impulse to vary and mature the memory immune response.

@LevelUp @derthomas

@colorblindcowboy You can definitely mix them up (at least after the initial first-and-second-dose if your original vax was set up that way). There's even potential advantages to it, since they give your immune system a slightly different thing to react to / 'learn' from.

Where I am it's hard to get anything other than Pfizer but I'm fine with that, my attitude is any [medically approved] vaccine is better than no vaccine. And we still get them for free every six months so can't complain about that.

@LevelUp @derthomas

@colorblindcowboy honestly I am always interested in the opinions of other immunocompromised folk because COVID has killed and put my family in hospital. It's left many people disabled and every time someone catches it it's like an awful gamble.

I'm scared by how some folks have forgotten this, you know? But also seeing the cost of the vaccine, it's a lot for people to afford. It's prohibitively expensive.

I'll speak with my doctor because I don't think I ever really got a choice in the past. Thanks.

@zombiecide @colorblindcowboy @LevelUp For me, the big advantage of Nuvaxovid (the vaccine developed by Novavax) is that my only side effect is a sore spot on my arm. I never experience chills with Nuvaxovid. This is especially important at this time of year, when my apartment building has air conditioning running that I cannot fully turn off. It is cold at home!

I also like supporting Novavax/Sanofi because I think that it is important to have multiple sources of covid vaccines. More manufacturers means more competition. That may eventually lead to lower prices and better quality vaccines. It will also give consumers the freedom to boycott any vaccine manufacturer that behaves especially badly. Without competition, we would be stuck buying vaccines from whichever company had a monopoly.

Anyway, I love Nuvaxovid and will be getting another dose soon. That said, any vaccine is probably better than no vaccine.

@NoRomBasic

Alright, fair enough.

I got my booster last Sunday, and it wasn't ideal, but I figured it was better than nothing. Since protection only evidently lasts a few months, I figured maybe I can get something newer next time. My doctor is fine with me going for a higher frequency, given that I'm in an at-risk category.

@derthomas

@Lkdc @zombiecide @LevelUp All good points. I don’t remember having bad reactions to the Nova. My initial jab was with Moderna, and I experienced some bad pain the first night.

Also, yeah, Nova is not the biggest player, so it supports some market competition.

My partner is on two different immunosuppressant meds, and as a result of that, I am permitted to keep getting them.

I've gotten the covid shot together with the flu shot the last couple of years.

I guess I will have to pay for it. I am no longer entitled to get it for free (they changed the age to 75 years of age).

@gemuetsmorchel

@Lkdc @colorblindcowboy @zombiecide I've had Moderna and Pfizer if I remember correctly. Both made me feel unwell. I will have to just check with them and roll with the punches.

I still have to wait until 1st October for the flu jab too so I guess this is a good chance to space them out a bit.

@Edelruth @gavin57 Also the UK uses a very strict definition of "immunosuppressed" which means that merely "immune compromised" people are excluded.

I'm about to drop £70 each on this year's Covid boosters for my household via private healthcare, I'm glad I can afford to do this but it's no herd immunity strategy.