Will you get the covid vaccine!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2020

    I liked Kamekaze shots!

  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited December 2020

    I will get a covid vaccine as soon as it is available to me. I am way more afraid of covid and lasting effects from it than I am of any possible vaccine side effects. Even more than that, my perspective as someone with stage iv bc is that I am willing to take some risks in order to have a chance at continuing to live my life. For nine years (6 mbc) I have accepted the risks of treatment because I have people to love, things to do, places to go. Covid is stopping me from living as full a life as I could be in the limited time I have. Being high risk, I go nowhere and see no one. I want my life back. With my future uncertain and my life very likely shortened, I cannot afford to wait extra months to decide to accept a vaccine. It is my get-out-of-jail card.

    Also, I trust the clinical trial process — I am in a trial right now.

  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited December 2020

    As soon as it's my turn. No worries here. Agree that frontline healthcare and other workers should go before me. One time, I am willing to pull the age card.

    Not waiting one second longer than I need to. BTW - I expect that there will be better with fewer side effects down the pike, but I will go with whatever is offered to me first. - Claire


  • Reckless
    Reckless Member Posts: 112
    edited December 2020

    I will get it as soon as I can. It will be a few months though, as the vaccine will be given to first responders first. That will give enough time to assess the effectiveness of the vaccine outside of the trials

  • NineTwelve
    NineTwelve Member Posts: 569
    edited December 2020

    Yes, I will get it when it's available to me, provided my Onc says it's okay.

  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited December 2020

    They just said on the news no children under 18 will be able to receive the vaccine. States will determine if it will be mandatory or not. When I worked in health care it was mandatory that I receive the flu vaccine yearly for my employment. I hope it will be mandatory for all essential workers including teachers so our schools can open safely. I hope there is another plan for those who are unable to receive the vaccine for health reasons.

  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited December 2020

    I will likely get it. Prefer Moderna unless Pfizer studies suggest a low or no symptoms, if COVID is contracted, after being vaccinated...similar to the flu vaccine, I guess. I know I probably won't have the option, but if I do..:). I may play the "old lady" card also. LOL. I feel like my life has been on hold and all of my grandkids will be grown before we have another sleepover, etc. Long days, short years right now. I have so much to be thankful for, but sure will be glad when this slows down and we can get back to some sense of normalcy.

  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited December 2020

    I'll get it, although I hope my husband and adult son (who lives with us) get it first because they are working and more exposed than I am. Hubby is deemed an essential worker in our local court system, but he's only had to go in three days a week through the entire shutdown. All court cases except certain emergency categories have been on hold, loosened up a few times, then shut down to basics again. He's not seeing many members of the public, or attorneys, but the worst Covid offenders have been the deputies; luckily for us, so far not in my hubby's division. Son works in a large library branch. They were closed for quite awhile (and kept all workers on full pay ❤️), then they gradually reopened. Now the cases have increased here, so they're doing curbside pickup/dropoff only. He uses public transportation, which is pretty scary this year. If they get the vaccine, I'd be pretty safe since I seldom go out. I guess I'm in the vulnerable category (old with mild diabetes) so I'll get it at some point. IF there are enough doses - the news today on how many were ordered is infuriating.

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited December 2020

    Flashlight,

    My school district has already announced that they will not make the COVID vaccine mandatory for teachers. I am not sure what factors went into making this decision and TBH am not sure how I feel about it

  • Nsbrown54
    Nsbrown54 Member Posts: 908
    edited December 2020

    I’ll get it as soon as it’s available. I’ve seeing my adult children, family and friends. Zoom is ok at keep in touch and I’ve been playing online Canasta with friends, but miss being around people.

  • Shar2020
    Shar2020 Member Posts: 234
    edited December 2020

    I will not get it YET. The current guidelines advise against it if a person has ever had a severe allergic reaction to medication, food or a vaccine. If that guideline changes, I will probably get it.

  • Reader425
    Reader425 Member Posts: 653
    edited December 2020

    I would like to get it but am not sure yet what is recommended in my case. Along with breast cancer I've had a rare autoimmune disease for 35 years, stable for the last 10+. Would not want to get unstable, haha. So far have not seen any guidance for this on related autoimmune information sites, like Lupus Foundation.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2020

    As long as my MO approves, I'll still get it even after the severe allergy warning. The affected patients (2 out of many thousands) had a history and had their medicine on them. I survived chemo where everyone is allergic to Taxol. There are people who cannot tolerate the vaccine, so those of us who are able should get it.

  • Mountainlover
    Mountainlover Member Posts: 89
    edited December 2020

    I will get it as soon as it is available to me. But I assume it will take a while, we're still several weeks away from final authorisation of the vaccines in the EU and I don't fall within any of the priority professional categories. Plus I am not considered enough at risk medically - I haven't even been able to PLAN a date for the vaccine against the normal flue , due to the limited availability.

  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
    edited December 2020

    I was told today that here in BC, no immunocompromised patients will receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. I believe it is because no one who is immunocompromised was on the trial. They don't know how we will respond.

  • Sadiesservant
    Sadiesservant Member Posts: 1,995
    edited December 2020

    Hi GG27. I was surprised with that announcement as well and assume that the issue, as you note, is that they did not investigate how cancer patients would respond. Interestingly, in the press conference, they seemed to be lumping all cancer patients together while the degree of immunocompromise will obviously vary. My current treatment is not hitting my immune system hard but I take it, by it's nature, cancer reduces the immune systems capacity.

    I was very disappointed in the news. I, for one, would have had my arm out in a heartbeat. With a very compromised lung I don't think getting COVID would be a walk in the park for me!

    Hopefully we will be near the front of the queue for other vaccines.

  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
    edited December 2020

    Sadiesservant, I wasn't sure if I wanted the vaccine right away or not, so it's a moot point for me I guess. I have so many weird SE's already. Doxil is kicking my butt as far as ANC & WBC right now. I missed a week of chemo & then had only 75% last week, this is after having a 2 month break. I should have been good. :(

    Somehow I don't think it will be too long before there is something for us, or they do enough testing to know that it will be ok for us. Lung issues aside, I don't think any of us would do well getting covid.

  • GraceB1
    GraceB1 Member Posts: 213
    edited December 2020

    Yes. My teacher daughter and her husband who has a heart condition live with us. As soon as I can I will get it to protect the family.

  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 4,562
    edited December 2020

    wow I see that you already had it. I was wondering if my immune system was still considered compromised after treatments of chem and rads. But I guess I probably should take the risk and get the vaccine. I no longer have a MO I can ask

  • DogMomRunner
    DogMomRunner Member Posts: 616
    edited December 2020

    I'll get it after checking my my MO (low WBC still from chemo). I work in a skilled nursing facility so we will be part of the first wave. From what I've seen BevJen is right about it not being live virus

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited December 2020

    None of the vaccines that are close to being or have been approved contain the virus at all, dead or live. They contain messenger RNA.

  • Dani444
    Dani444 Member Posts: 522
    edited December 2020

    I called my MO’s office to check. They have started giving it this week at the hospital where I work. I was told that they have no protocol for clearing patients to get the vaccine since it is so new. The nurse spoke to the NP who said it would “ probably be OK” for me to get it. She said they are going on a case by case basis. She apologized that she couldn’t give me a solid yes or no. It just didn’t instill much confidence in me deciding to take it. I work in the ER and it just feels like a huge decision to me.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2020

    My SIL, diagnosed stage I BC 6+ years ago, has been intubating COVID-19 patients for over 9 months now. She still leaves her work shoes outside the house and showers once she gets home. She will get vaccinated as soon as she can.

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2020

    This was just written up on this page on our site:

    https://www.breastcancer.org/about_us/press_room/news/coronavirus#vaccine

    Can people with breast cancer get a COVID-19 vaccine?

    On Friday, December 11, 2020, the FDA approved the first COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use: the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. Other COVID-19 vaccines are being developed and may eventually be approved, as well.

    The FDA has found that the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is safe and effective for preventing COVID-19 in people age 16 and older. The vaccine was 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 in a clinical trial of more than 37,000 people. It is still unclear how long the protection lasts and whether you can give someone else COVID-19 if you are exposed to the virus after being vaccinated. So mask wearing and physical distancing will likely need to continue for some time as more people are vaccinated. People with serious medical conditions such as cancer have not been included in COVID-19 vaccine research so far. But because the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine isn't a live vaccine (meaning it doesn't use a weakened virus like some vaccines do), it can be used in people with weakened immune systems, including people being treated for cancer.

    The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine works by using genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA). The vaccine contains a small piece of the coronavirus's mRNA, and that tells your body to make copies of a protein in the virus called the spike protein. Your immune system then builds up immune cells and special proteins (antibodies) to fight the spike protein. So, if you're ever exposed to the COVID-19 virus, your immune system is ready to recognize the virus and protect you from infection.

    Because mRNA is just a small piece of the virus copied in a lab, the vaccine cannot cause COVID-19, and it is considered safe for people with weakened immune systems. However, it is unclear whether the vaccine may be less effective and offer less protection against COVID-19 in people with weakened immune systems.

    The vaccine is given as an injection in the muscle of the upper arm. The vaccine consists of two doses given 3 weeks apart. The most common side effects have been pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever. These side effects are usually minor, last a few days, and happen more often after the second dose. Side effects are expected and are actually a sign that the vaccine is working by causing an immune response. People are monitored for about 20 to 30 minutes after receiving each injection to make sure they don't have a rare serious allergic reaction to the vaccine. People with a history of severe allergic reactions to vaccines should talk with their doctor about whether getting the COVID-19 vaccine makes sense for them.

    The CDC has decided that healthcare workers and people who live in long-term care facilities will be vaccinated first. Once more vaccine becomes available, the next groups to be vaccinated will be older people and people with high-risk medical conditions such as cancer. Once the vaccine is more widely available, you can talk to your doctor about whether getting the COVID-19 vaccine makes sense for you.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2020

    My SIL is scheduled to get her first dose of the vaccine today.

  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited December 2020

    I have some friends in the medical fields and they have been posting pictures of themselves getting the vaccine on Facebook. They are all smiling and relieved, and I am so proud of them. I will patiently wait my turn but I am definitely looking forward to it!

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited December 2020
  • nopink2019
    nopink2019 Member Posts: 329
    edited December 2020

    Thanks Mods for telling us the injection is under the skin. I heard a reporter say "in the muscle" (similar to Fasolodex, ugh). Under the skin is a cake-walk in comparison.

    Rant - Frontline workers seem happy & eager to get the vaccine for both themselves and the general population. They have experienced the toll the virus has inflicted. Many who express concern about the side effects do not seeem to realize that if you follow the guidelines and wait in the clinic for 15-30 minutes that the acute allergic side effects occur that a shot of epinephrine resolves the issues. Also, by the time THEIR turn comes up, months from now, that millions of doses will have been distributed. General popuulation (even us old folks) are not being offered a vaccine now, it will be a couple of months, at best. Those of us stage 4 have experienced MANY side effects, on a scale from "too serious to tolerate" to "just live with it." Not to mention that what may have been our last year of feeling decent has been spent without family, friends and travel. And dodging those who aren't concerned the health of those they encounter. I'll be happy to roll up my sleeve when my turn comes.

  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited December 2020

    Pfizer BioNTech & Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine -Are both a suspension for Intramuscular Injection. When you see people on the news receiving the injection it's pretty clear it is IM. The flu shot doesn't hurt and this doesn't seem to either. Mods telling us the injection is under the skin, like a TB test, must be a typo.

  • Tinkerbell107
    Tinkerbell107 Member Posts: 281
    edited December 2020

    hello. I also work at a medical center. My facility is scheduled to receive the Moderna vaccine next week. I can elect to receive in a few weeks due to job classification. I'm nervous. My MO feels it's ok to take but will not receive full benefit due to being immuno compromised by I/L. So I'm debating is the risk, meaning potential side effects from the vaccine worth it.Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks

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