Depending on your age/vulnerability it’s the 5th vaccine for some. My Mum is over 75 so has had the first 2 jabs followed by 3 boosters. She had her 5th and my 4th (I’m eligible for my 4th already as I’m considered vulnerable) about 3 weeks ago. We were told it protects against the original virus and the Omicron variant and it’s called Spikevax.
The only side effect for both of us was a sore arm for a few days.
Very happy to have had it.
Izzy x
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FWIW Spikevax is the trade name for the Moderna vaccine. 
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It is. I’ve now had 2 Astrazenica and 2 Moderna.
Izzy x
i have been invited for the Flue jab by CPAM and my local pharmacist is happy to give me both Flue and Covid 7 November You cannot beat the French health system
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It clearly didnt, millions caught covid, it lowered symptoms and incapacity time for some. Sorry to be pedantic.
It provided protection from harm for a significant number who might have either died or been left with life-changing damage from infection. It didn’t prevent infection.
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Just in case the Message is unclear:
France is suggesting/urging that folk get their covid jabs up to date… so that they have the maximum protection available according to their health situation… before Winter sets in…
Speak with Pharmacist/Doctor to organize…
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and more clarification…a translation from this morning’s Press:
The arrival of new anti-Covid vaccines adapted to the variants in circulation does not make their predecessors “obsolete”.
“Conventional vaccines, they are not obsolete and remain effective, in particular against severe forms of the disease”, declared an executive of the General Directorate of Health (DGS), Ministry of Health, during an online press conference, Wednesday, 5 October 2022.
However, this new generation of vaccines must gradually arrive in France. Eight million doses will be available by the end of October, and nearly 40 million by the end of the year. This raises the question of the interest of receiving a “classic” vaccine dating from before the arrival of Omicron.
These latest vaccines remain useful and the authorities are not going to “dump them”, explained the ministry official. But he also acknowledged that it was better to get an updated version because bivalent vaccines “are the most effective weapons to fight disease today”.
“There is currently a lack of data on the effectiveness of new vaccines compared to the first versions used. At a minimum, the efficiency should be identical. Laboratory data seem to show better efficacy, but this will have to be confirmed in real conditions”, explains Yannick Simonin, virologist and research professor at the University of Montpellier (Hérault). And to add that “the main thing is not to wait to get vaccinated, especially if you have never been vaccinated and in a period of epidemic recovery, as is currently the case”.
A reminder campaign was launched on Monday, October 3, with the most vulnerable people, in a context of a rebound in cases and hospitalizations. This campaign accompanies the arrival of updated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, which have been adapted to the Omicron variant, which has been ubiquitous since this year.
(end of translation…)
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I called the UK doc’s and they said go and see the pharmacy - I dropped round and he offered me a ‘bivalent’ there and then! With a choice - a Phizer or Moderna bivalent - spoiled for choice…
He said UK is not doing the original vaccines any more as boosters (third one)
I’m tempted - just two thoughts -
Travelling to france on Thu - might still be feeling a bit rubbish
Maybe best to have booster in France to ‘be in the system’ - though I understand that one can have a French pharmacy update the covid pass with the UK vaccinations.
If I have the bivalent jab tomorrow which to go for - Phizer or Moderna? Didn’t even know there was a phizer bivalent!
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I suppose the other thing to think of is the earlier round vaccines have been around just that little bit longer, so safety is known. Every time you change something there’s always a little risk something new you didn’t expect is introduced. So in that sense the ones used so far are a known quantity and might be better to stick with for now.
@Larkswood if you get the choice please pick Pfizer and let us know how you do. I’d do it there while you can as certainly here, vaccine appointments are almost impossible to get so I suspect there will be a point when parts of France are waiting for supplies
I’d have suggested there was more time for testing the second gen vaccine variants, so safety should be even better, but I don’t have data to support a more thorough testing.
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How are the mice doing?
I don’t have any (that I know of).
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Gordon Bennet… reconfirming that “we don’t have enough feedback/information to recommend the bivalents’ vaxes…” … seems they’re still not sure about effectiveness/lasting against covid-19 itself… or just omicron…
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Bil had his and shingles arrived a week later then he caught covid despite being ultra careful. Is this a Tamiful scenario?
Quite!
The Lancet is generally my bible for things medical, not that I can understand everything but this recent article puts it quite clearly:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(22)00361-7/fulltext
It may be that France, having still quite a stock of the earlier booster vaccines does not want people waiting for the bivalent one rather than taking the original if that is all that is available in their area. The vaccine’s protection wanes, significantly after 6 months, that much has had enough time to demonstrate on open populace trials.
So, the France gouv advice is not wrong and just trying to make sure we don’t panic thinking only the bivalent is effective now, (as is happening at my local petrol station with over 20 cars this morning queuing. Clearly, the French do not completely trust what the gouv tells them about the strike ending.)
It is sure that whichever booster you can receive, it beats by far getting Covid
To be fair… this latest is only confirmation of what they said a few days ago… (and confirms that my Pharmacist is brilliant and her advice, spot on…)
Following her advice… we shall get our 5th jab using the old-style… due in November… than the variant thingy jab 3 months later (if that is still what is advocated for us oldies…)
Flu jab is due 18th October… !!! I mustn’t forget… time is flying…
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But it wont stop you getting covid, it may reduce the severity when you do.
Quite. Sorry @Corona. That is what I meant to say but choked.
I just had long chat with an elderly neighbour (French. Ex gouv. official retired from Strasbourg). She has decided the Covid vaccine makes you actually more sick, so she won’t bother with a third booster. Granted, she did catch Covid after the first booster and had a rather poorly time.
Do you think this view is gaining traction in France? Is there any merit to it?