Debbie Malewicki considers herself a “triple risk” for COVID-19.
Malewicki has described herself as overweight, almost obese, as well as a breast cancer survivor with chronic respiratory problems. So when her age group became eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, she was pushing for the Modern vaccine, which she believes is the most effective against the virus.
“I really want what will provide the broadest coverage,” said Malewick, 49, of Monroe.
She is not the only person buying a specific vaccine.
Ruth Brooks, 74, of Guilford, called everyone she can think of last week to find out where she can get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Brooks said he contacted the state Department of Public Health, his local health department and senior center and even the library to find out where the vaccine is available.
“I got tired, I think anyone I could think of could answer that question,” she said.
The former hospital chaplain decided that she wanted the vaccine in a single dose because she was concerned that she might have an allergic reaction to others. She said she is concerned about the side effects after the second injection.
“I wanted the simplest inoculation possible,” she said.
The state has asked suppliers to indicate which vaccine has been offered since Johnson & Johnson was approved, said Josh Geballe, the state’s director of operations, on Thursday.
Two of the state’s largest healthcare systems – Hartford HealthCare and Yale New Haven Health – have announced that those who register at their facility can select their preferred vaccine.
Since March 3, when Johnson & Johnson became available, Hartford HealthCare began offering patients the option of choosing a specific vaccine or selecting the option that is available. The data provided by the hospital system show that a little more than two thirds of the interviewees chose to obtain any injection that was available.
The hospital’s system plans to hold Zoom webinars on March 24th and 31st and April 7th, called “Weighing vaccine options for people with doubts”.
Dr. Gregory Buller of Bridgeport Hospital, which is part of Yale New Haven Health, said the webinar is being held because many people are asking about which vaccines are being used.
“As so many people ask about this, we will make it clear which vaccine we are offering at the clinics,” said Buller, who is Bridgeport’s associate medical chief and chairman of the medical department.
But Buller warned against looking for a particular vaccine.
“It’s like you can get a vaccine tomorrow and another four weeks from now, get one tomorrow,” he said.
Geballe said that most people feel that vaccines are the same and choose to take the one that is available first. Many people want the Johnson & Johnson single injection vaccine, according to Geballe.
“They like that injection and you are fully vaccinated,” he said.
“We know that these vaccines are all safe,” said Dr. Albert Ko, an epidemiologist from Yale. “They have an excellent safety profile with very rare serious adverse reactions – you know, one in millions.”
Ko, who co-chaired the governor’s reopening group last spring, was asked by a reporter whether giving people the option to choose could help convince some who are hesitant to get vaccinated.
“In terms of the effectiveness of these vaccines, when it really comes to hospitalizations, serious outcomes, they all work just as well,” said Ko. “The most important thing is to get them out to people.”
Many of the clinics listed in the Vaccine Administration Management System, the federal portal that allows eligible people to register for an appointment, list the vaccines that are being offered.
Some vaccine candidates have turned to social media, including Facebook group New York / Connecticut Vaccine Hunters and Angels, which has nearly 15,000 members.
Emily Stagg, a resident of Glastonbury, a registered nurse in advanced practice, is one of the group’s moderators. Stagg has worked as a volunteer vaccine administrator at several clinics in the state and is frustrated when she sees people choosing a specific vaccine.
“Six weeks ago, when I started vaccinating, most people said, ‘Is it Pfizer or Modern?’ but mostly, they would say they were happy to get any vaccine, ”said Stagg. “But today, they say things like, ‘Oh, rats, it’s Modern.'”
Stagg said he is surprised that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the one most people are looking for, as it has a lower efficacy rate than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. However, Stagg said that many people seem attracted to Johnson & Johnson, as it requires only one dose.
“I think for a lot of laypeople, it’s, ‘I don’t want any chance, so I want something that gets done and done,'” said Stagg.
But Stagg said he tried to explain to people that it is better to get any vaccine that is available.
“Waiting for Johnson & Johnson doesn’t make a lot of scientific sense,” said Stagg.
Malewicki said he realizes that waiting for a certain type of vaccine may not be the best approach. When she became eligible to register on Friday morning, Malewicki said the first appointment she could get for any vaccine was May 31.
Malewicki said she is sure that more consultations will be opened, and she still hopes to get Moderna – for now.
“If it is two weeks from now and I am in the same position, I will probably be less demanding,” she said.
Brooks said she feels “almost betrayed” because she pushed for a vaccine, but the process has been difficult to navigate.
“People are getting a little impatient and aggressive about it,” she said. “I’m trying, but I’m not going to get something that I don’t feel comfortable with.”