Me too. I am not at all picky and could care less what vaccine is offered. I'll take whichever is available........ just wish one was more available locally. My county has not received anything but second doses for several weeks. Supply is nowhere near keeping up with demand.

If I had a real choice, I'd take whichever has the most efficacy without worrying about future boosters -- too much is unknown about that to base a decision on. But like OutsidePlaying says, in real life I'll take whichever is offered first. It isn't likely to be anytime soon :-(

The earliest I will be offered a vaccine will be in the fall so I would prefer the J&J one and done. I don't qualify for any of the phases, currently under 65, retired, normal to slightly overweight and no other comorbibities.

Does not matter.

Interesting interview on 60 minutes with the Pfizer vaccine developers.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vaccine-pfizer-biontech-collaboration-60-minutes-2020-12-20/

Either one.

Pfizer & Moderna don't really know the limits of storage temperatures & shelf life. That can only be determined in real time and with experimentation. For now, they have stringent limits to be on the safe side. There is no way of knowing yet what the real life limits will prove to be.

We got Pfizer as you get the second shot in three weeks vs a month with Moderna.

I got Moderna on Monday, and was glad that I don't have to go back for a month, since I'm going to Palm Springs today and want to stay for more than two weeks.

I haven't seen anything that suggests the two to be other than the same. Equally effective. If so, there's really no reason to think about it. The best choice, as others said, is the one that's can be injected into your arm the soonest.

Has anyone heard something different?

Shelf life? This stuff is rushed from where manufactured to where administered. The glue on the bottle label hardly has time to dry.

How about one shot of each.........just to be sure ;-)

DH and I both got our first Pfizer shot yesterday but we had no preference. It was very easy going with no arm pain this morning. Will go for #2 on March 5th.

We had no preference, we happily took what was offered to us and it was Moderna. Walgreens administered Pfizer to my mom's care facility the same day. The vaccines are said to be just about equally effective. If either needs tweaking, hopefully we'll have bought some time before a third or booster becomes recommended and maybe they'll even have the storage and distribution issues worked out by then.

Quite honestly - I didn't know what we were being injected with until being given our vaccination record cards and having further conversation with a very overworked PA that day. She was exhausted, had been seeing patients and taking walk ins for covid vaccine all that day. She let us go a few minutes early from our observation period, asked if we were comfortable observing each other ;0)

If Moderna was good enough for Fauci it was good enough for me.

I will also take whichever one is offered. I know someone in infectious disease research working with Covid patients and she says to take whichever one you can get! As far as I know, though, we don't get a choice. My husband got his last week and I forgot to ask him which one he got. I am curious as to what is offered around here because we live only one hour from where Pfizer is making vaccines.

it takes a 15k freezer to store the Pfizer vaccine. not every county can buy those so there is little choice for most folks.

Bluebell66,

Ask your husband how many weeks he has to wait for the 2ndshot: Pfizer = 3 weeks, Moderna = at least 4 weeks. I got the Moderna shot yesterday, and didn't even question which one it was.....I was grateful to get an appointment at a Walgreens.

Moderna, because it is easier to keep it at the optimum temperature before use. Less chance that something went wrong in the delivery system. But really, whichever is available.

Was offered 1st shot of Pfizer at the mall and took it, now hoping the 2nd shot will be ready when I'm ready for it...

I have no preference but I’m getting the Moderna next Saturday. Whoop.

We received both with Pfizer. When we received 2nd Pfizer , said we may have flu like symptoms. Neither one of us skipped a beat. Took 2nd on February 5th.

I signed up online but they don't offer a way of checking where I am in the queue.

I'll be happy with either.

Or ... AstraZeneca, Sputnik V or... any effective vaccine.

Just give me a a darn vaccine so I, wearing a mask, can feel confident enough to go shopping again. :-)

I took that which I was offered first----which was Pfizer. I get my second dose a week from Tuesday! Yay.

I have heard 2nd shot is a bit more dicey. I know my son in law was really wiped out and flu like with the 2nd dose for Moderna.

But yes-----whatever I could get was what I wanted.

Got my 2nd Pfizer today. The nurse who administered said there's greater possibility of side effect with the second. She said she had chills and a headache, but she still went to work. Hopefully I will avoid any side effects.

I would take whichever one was offered.

It looks like we can Pfizer at a hospital during first week of March or Moderna 3rd week of March. So I guess Pfizer it is. I also like that there is one week less between first and second shot.

Honibaker - he got Pfizer. Has to go back 3 weeks later for second vaccination. Thanks!

I will get either one. My only requirement is I will not stand (or sit in car) in a line for hours. I personally don't get the whole "this person gets shots first" thing

If I had felt I had a choice I would have chosen the Johnson& JOhnson. I am in no hurry. BUT this roll out is such a hit and miss affair I went with what was offered. It took me five invites to get through to an actual appointment. The side effects are not connected to the vaccine they are all about the receivers immune system.

If there was no "this person gets shots first" thing it would have become like a buffet where everyone rushes the table.

They hospital system is offering either vaccination--it depends on the location you choose. I choose the one that had valet parking and the least amount of walking for Dad. So Pfizer it will be.

The ‘this person gets shots first" thing Is based on a person’s degree of vulnerability to covid rather than their ability to push or pay their way to the head of the line. I wouldn’t want it any other way and am happy to wait my turn based on my medical need. With fair distribution and an efficient appointment system there should be no waiting in line required.

Just got a call from a waiting list that I put my 91-year-old mom on. Tomorrow at 2:00. Called her with the good news. She won‘t go. Because it‘s 30 minutes away and she won’t leave my dad for so long. My dad who is bedbound, sleeps all day and spends over $10K a month for an aide to stay there. I’m so mad.

Back to the question - I don’t know of any significant difference and would gladly take either. Unfortunately they won’t let me take my mom’s appointment even though I become eligible tomorrow.

I am so sorry food. Is there any chance that your dad could tell her to go? Perhaps if he could she might, unless you had to immediately cancel the time.

Oh man. Food. I'm so sorry. It's really hard dealing with our folks sometimes. I am in agreement with Maifleur--maybe Dad can tell her to go. Good luck. Keep us posted. I'll say a prayer for you guys tonight that it all works out.

Thank you both. Wasn’t the right post for this thread but it had literally just happened so that was my vent. I’m dropping it, not worth the tears. Hopefully that dose will get in the arm of someone who appreciates it.

Could you persuade her in terms of its being her duty to get it, for your father’s sake? By getting vaccinated she’d be protecting him from her bringing the virus into the house. And she’d be no use to him if she got sick.

DH and I received the Moderna vaccine Saturday, a clinic is being given every Saturday by the town where we live. I had several other appointments later in the month through Yale, I couldn’t set anything up on line together but each one was almost an hour away. Needless to say, when someone called Tuesday night offering us appointments on Saturday, we were thrilled, the high school is 10 minutes away. Came home and cancelled the other appointments.

I‘m happy to report that she changed her mind. She asked how long she‘d be away from my father. I said “About two hours. Far less than if you get sick or die from Covid.”

Hooray! It’s a good day, Foas.

Alright! So glad for your family.

My husband and I both pre-registered with our health dept. I received my call to come in two days before he did and I was directed to a large school venue for my shot, which turned out to be Pfizer. He was sent to a local grocery store which turned out to be much easier with no waiting in line at all. He received the Moderna vaccine. The store already scheduled him on the spot for his second. I need to call for an appointment on March 1st or 2nd.

We live in a very small city and it seems that there is no rhyme or reason for getting one over the other as far as they are concerned. I am just glad we both have our first shots.

Foas, I'm really relieved and so happy your Mom has agreed to the shot. It's a big step in the right direction. I don't know know about your parents, but my Mom doesn't really do well with things that are not a part of her routine. A change in plans, a surprise, and it doesn't go over well. With a little convincing she'll accept it as not such a challenge, but often her immediate reaction is to resist.

Hope the day and appointment go very smoothly!

Glad your mother changed her mind. I had the pfizer and my husband had the moderna. Neither one of us had a reaction to fist dose.

Thanks! Couldn’t have gone smoother. Walked in, handed them paperwork we had filled out at home, stuck her arm, handed us some literature, a vaccine record, and an appointment card. In an out in maybe three minutes. The hour in the car together gave some time to explain that her kids care about her health upkeep more than she does. Her 98 y.o. sister is just now going into nursing care, her 96 y.o. sister has recovered nicely from a broken hip. No need for the baby in the family to be writing herself off at such a young age!

Its Pfizer for me. I get my second shot next Friday.

This article seems to cover the differences quite well. I was surprised by this paragraph.

Each dose of Pfizer’s contains 30 micrograms of vaccine. Moderna went with a much larger dose of vaccine, 100 micrograms. It means the company is using a little more than three times as much vaccine per person as Pfizer is. And yet, they aren’t getting better results. The government’s vaccine development program, formerly called Operation Warp Speed, has asked Moderna to test if it could lower the dosage of its vaccine without eroding the vaccine’s protection.

https://www.kqed.org/science/1972627/the-differences-between-the-pfizer-moderna-and-johnson-johnson-coronavirus-vaccines-explained