Should type 1s get a third Pfizer shot?

The FDA authorized boosters for those over 65 only yesterday. They also authorized it for high risk populations, but haven’t defined “high risk” (at least not that I can find). It may be left to the doctor’s discretion. It seems reasonable that people with type 1 would be included in that group.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-booster-dose-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-certain-populations

Thanks for that quick clarification.

I just watched President Biden’s press conference (September 24, 2021) dealing with this issue. It looks like those now eligible for Covid boosters include both people over the age of 65 and those with certain underlying medical conditions which includes those with diabetes, both T1D and T2D.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

If you click on the underlying medical conditions link, it brings up an alphabetical list of those conditions which includes this one:

Only the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for the booster dose but it’s expected that the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will receive this designation in the weeks to come. I will take the Moderna booster when my turn arises.

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I haven’t watched Biden’s press conference, but I’ve been closely following the booster authorizations/recommendations by the FDA and CDC.

The FDA didn’t define high risk, but the CDC does on their website. The FDA vs CDC panels had slightly different authorizations/recommendations regarding those with underlying conditions. Perhaps the FDA was implicitly using the CDC definitions of high risk.

It is all happening pretty quickly for the Pfizer vaccine- which I’m pleased about. I’m concerned that the lack of safety data on the boosters for the other vaccines will impact authorizations/recommendations for boosters for people who received those vaccines - though it does appear Moderna’s efficacy is overall holding up better than Pfizer’s. The vaccines have been administered to so many people now. I am really not concerned about the safety of a booster dose (I recognize that I’m obviously not an authority); I hope that doesn’t cause delays.

I am glad that the CDC has defined high risk clearly on their website. I will hit my 6 month mark since my second Pfizer dose on 9/29/21. I plan to schedule a booster for after that date as soon as the CVS website allows for it. There currently appear to be a lot of appointments available in my area.

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I just scheduled my third shot for Sunday. There were two appointments available.

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I’m scheduled for December, 9 months from my first injection.

But I wonder if you really want one, why can’t you go to a Walgreens and say I need my first shot.
I don’t think it’s really necessary, but if you can’t seem to get one, you could do that.

They offer me a Covid shot every time I go into a pharmacy.

I was wondering if I had to stick with the same vaccination brand that I took for my initial series; I found this question at an FAQ section of a CDC.gov website:

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What You Need to Know from CDC

  • CDC recommends that the following groups should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 Vaccine at least 6 months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (i.e., the first 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine):
    • people aged 65 years and older

    • residents aged 18 years and older in long-term care settings

    • people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions

  • CDC also recommends that the following groups may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 Vaccine at least 6 months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks:
    • people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions
    • people aged 18–64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting
  • These recommendations only apply to people who previously received a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (i.e., the first 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine).
  • People can talk to their healthcare provider about whether getting a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shot is appropriate for them.

“If you got the Pfizer vaccine in January, February or March of this year and you’re over 65 years of age, go get the booster, or if you have a medical condition like diabetes or you’re a front line worker, like a health care worker or a teacher, you can get a free booster now,” President Joe Biden said.

Diabetes type 1 and 2 are included as well as hypertension in addition to other cardiac diseases.
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot | CDC

I am scheduled for Sunday. The appointments are easy to get now.
My medical centers where I got my first 2 is suggesting going to retail pharmacies.

Last I heard, the Moderna was maintaining its protection for longer than the Pfizer. Moderna will probably be approved for a booster by the time its recipients’ immunity wanes.

Moderna just announced a half dose booster. And waiting for FDA to approve it

If You Got Moderna, Fauci Warns Against Getting a Booster Right Now (bestlifeonline.com)

“Fauci also acknowledged that he doesn’t foresee any safety complications arising for people who received a third shot of the 100 microgram dose”.

Another mixed message aimed at the general public but not necessarily at PWD. I plan to get the Moderna 3rd shot at 100% soon before they proceed with this half dose plan.

I got my third Pfizer dose on Wednesday!

When I told colleagues at work, they seemed to be most concerned about what side effects might occur with a booster dose. I figured I’d share my experience here. The CDC has said that the side effects for the third dose are expected to be similar to those you experienced for the second.

My experience with the second dose was a painful arm and feeling a little under the weather after 24 hours.

I had the same pain in my arm with the third dose, but I only felt a little tired about 24 hours afterward - better than after dose 2. The pain in my arm is nearly gone now- at about 36 hours after my shot.

I’m excited to have another layer of protection against infection. It will be nice to feel more comfortable/safe while out and about.

I’m glad to see that there’s concrete movement for the Moderna booster dose approval. In the article that @John58 linked to above, this paragraph caught my eye.

“They should know that for the most part, they are still really quite protected,” Fauci said of Moderna recipients. According to a Sept. 17 study from the CDC, Moderna was still 95 percent effective against COVID hospitalization amid the Delta variant surge from June to August, while Pfizer’s vaccine had been reduced to an 80 percent effectiveness during the same timeframe.

With the original Moderna series providing 95% protection against hospitalization, even in the face of the Delta variant surge, I’m persuaded to wait for the final decision. As someone who has lived with diabetes, I’ve witnessed and been surprised many times to discover that less is more.

Just adding my 2 cents to this thread:

LADA here — got my 3rd Pfizer booster from local CVS on Sept 3.

No pain.

No aftermath.

No blip on the insulin or BG levels. (Which, considering I’m highly reactive to cortisone and caffeine, shows how this disease just likes to mess with us. :smile: )

My COVID protocols:
• N95 in stores

• N95 outside dining —ate outside once, lift mask between bites

• Regular mask indoors amongst other vaccinated people I know and trust, but don’t live with

• Only have 1 person I live with unmasked / in my pod

Everyone here with PWD works so hard to stay alive and healthy — there’s no way we should let COVID take another life.

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I got my 3rd shot, nothing but a sore shoulder.

I received my 3rd Moderna shot on Monday. I was fine for the first 11 hrs, but then my glucose level rose to 170 and a bolus shot didn’t work nor did a second bolus shot. Riding the bike at 10:00 pm didn’t help either. Shortly after this I started running a fever and my head started hurting. I got very little sleep that night. I was lethargic most of Tuesday, but by dinner time I was fine.

My son had the same reaction from his 3rd Pfizer shot.

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My moderna booster was similar symptoms!! I required almost double insulin through the next day.

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I received my third vaccine shot last Monday (Pfizer booster). My BG shot up to 400 within 12 hours and I felt like I had the flu. That being said, I would still get the booster if I had it to do again. Also, CVS didn’t ask for any proof of being diabetic to qualify for the booster. Seems like it would be pretty easy for anyone to get it, at least in the US.

I hope you’re feeling better now Chris.

The eligibility criteria has been expanded to include anyone who is at least 6 months out from their second dose (2 months for J&J).

There is evidence of waning immunity from infections across all ages as well as some waning immunity against severe disease (to a much lesser degree than infections). As a consequence, eligibility was expanded to include basically everyone.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02249-2/fulltext

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I got Pfizer shot #3 yesterday afternoon. My vote on the question, clearly, is affirmative.
Interesting, my arm is a bit more sore than the first two shots but otherwise no untoward effects. My glucose has never been better. 98% in range past 48 hrs. Woohoo!
Anyway best of luck.