Will you get the covid vaccine!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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