Does anyone know if you must get the second jab in the same hospital/city as the first? I have the opportunity to get this in Hualien but will likely be in another city (Taipei) when the second one is due.
Still, the doctors where you are should be informed.
The bot might be helpful but even it says at the beginning:
Remind you, this is not a medical consultation. If you have any uncomfortable conditions afterwards, it is recommended to go to the medical hospital for further consultation
BTW, did they give you a translated information sheet? It has the most common symptoms, the uncommon and rare. Your reaction is in rare.
Even if you are OK now, the authorities should know. For the record.
1 Like
Have they started handing out translations now? When I did this, on the first day, the information sheet was Chinese only, but one of the helpful people said they were going to try to get a translated version soon.
Donāt know if it is the complete version but yep, they gave me a choice of Chinese or English. Would have loved both to compare but didnāt want to look greedy.
Unfortunately no help was required for that foreigner.
Got the shot. 
Thanks for asking.
2 Likes
Just wondering, did anyone else feel that they had a bit of brain fog after the vaccine? I realize that is a very vague symptom, but I really did feel weird for about a week to 10 days after my vaccineā¦ Just not quite like myself, I had trouble thinking of words, I couldnāt concentrate on things, it was harder than normal to control my emotionsā¦ I feel more like myself now, and am still 100 percent pro-vaccine, but that was a bit of a disconcerting āsymptom,ā if indeed it was a side effect. Or it could have just been a product of work stress and anxiety, hard to know.
3 Likes
These guys got the linkie to Taiwan V
When you see all of the possible side-effects of the vaccine, one wonders why people are so reticent to get it. Imagine the full-blown effects.
Yeah, I did, for a few days. Iām not sure how much to ascribe that to a) getting too much sun the same day as I had the vaccine; b) sleeping absolutely terribly the night after I got the vaccine; c) my bad habit of overthinking; d) an actual direct side-effect (vs an indirect effect via insomnia). But, for example, I think it was five days later when it was gorgeous weather for a bike ride and I decided āEh ā¦ I still just feel a wee bit dizzy. Maybe wait.ā A couple days after that, no problem.
Again, want to emphasize, zero regrets.
3 Likes
English article from Focus Taiwan about opening up the government subsidized shots to priority group 7 and 8 (military and people 65 and older).
Maybe just me but I know a looot of people in 65 and up group here who were pretty adamant about not wanting to get AZ and eventually said they wonāt even get any shot and somehow have managed to convince their family.
They thought I was crazy when I mentioned that I wanted to get a shot ASAPā¦I have no intention of telling any Taiwanese friends/acquaintances that I have actually registered an appointment because of the amount of push back and hesitancy Iāve gotten every time the topic has come up.
Iāll wait until I get both shots before even bothering to mention it.
3 Likes
Given the general faith in the medical establishment here in Taiwan, and the apparently willingness to gobble all sorts of medicines, the degree of vaccine hesitancy we are seeing now is really quite something . . .
Guy
5 Likes
Unfortunately, the story about the pilot is fueling the fears: look, he was vaccinated and got sick. Sighā¦
Or they say " I am too weak and fragile ". Double sigh.
Regarding faith in medical system: some doctors are telling people not to vaccinateā¦
1 Like
Donāt know about the AZ one but the Pfizer overall had very little effect on me
The first shot made me run on half power the third day in and I felt a little head spinning when I put my head down not serious just slightly a few times
The second one had basically no effect on me other than running about 80pct power a couple days in for the day
There is a lot of fear about the vaccine here
And someone I know who was preaching against the vaccine now tested positive for COVID
Heās ok so far
I was very fearful about the vaccine too but I believe the disease is worse so I took it
4 Likes
And that is the logical approach.
Hereās the data. In 2020, 3000 people died within 30 days of an accident (this excludes people who die a lingering death past 30 days or who are brain dead but artificially kept alive).
Thatās roughly 128 in a million chance of dying in a road accident in Taiwan in one year. Not two years, not your lifetime, but one year.
Compare this with the 1 in a million chance of dying from a fatal blood clot from the Astrazeneca vaccine which is then roughly your chance of dying in a road accident in any three day period you live in Taiwan.
Sources:
https://roadsafety.tw/motcgisDashboard/Dashboard/Custom?type=ēµ±čØåæ«č¦½
5 Likes
The translation form given:
In other news, I got a boo boo: the place where they put the vaccine is throbbing. Ouch. Feels like when the catās nail get stuck under your skin.
4 Likes
Itās a good point. Maybe they should attempt to formulate the vaccine as 8 differently colored tablets to be swallowed with a cup of hot water.
4 Likes
New studies show AstraZeneca has same issues in ages over 60 with rare probability of blood knots. Germany just reversed their policy to use AZ for ages 60+. Now anyone 18+ can get it if they are in the group which already receive vaccines.
So not only young people are affected. But the risk is minimal and Pfizer and Moderna has same risks of rare blood knots, just slightly less.
4 Likes
While I agree that the risk of blood clots is minimal compared to the dangers of Covid19, I donāt understand were people are getting the 1 in a million number that is being thrown out here. The UKs own numbers out this week show that cases are 1 in 95,000 and the numbers in Canada are even worse at around 1 in 50,000 for the AZ vaccine.
I havenāt seen any reports that put the MRNA vaccines anywhere near the number of cases that AZ has had.
While I agree that the benefits outweigh the risks, I think itās disingenuous and unhelpful, in overcoming vaccine hesitation to downplay the actual numbers.
3 Likes
I havenāt seen anyone use that. The most recent study said 5 in one million that equals to 1 in 200k
When you vaccinate entire population of Taiwan there will be hundreds of deaths from side effects.
If covid spreads there will be many thousands deaths. You have to take your chances either way.
But people make unreasonable decisions because of perceived risks. After 9/11 many stopped flying and used their cars to make long journeys. Thousands perished in car accidents because of higher risk of travel on the road.
The risk of dying in a road accident in Taiwan is 1000x higher than dying from AZ vaccine! (assuming you have to vaccinate yearly)
1 Like