I found this article quite interesting. It appears that France and Germany won't accept a mix of Pfizer and Moderna so that presents a problem for me. The cruise lines seem to have a large variation in standards.
https://globalnews.ca/news/8086370/mixed-vaccines-travel-policy/
It's been a concern for many of us expats, particularly as the vaccines included AZ, but those individuals were switched to mRNA. So many people got AZ for the first and Moderna or BioNTech for the second. Fine here in Germany, but not okay in NY. So do those people go get another mRNA of the same as previous?
I was so glad I got BioNTech. It's been the one that has been approved pretty much everywhere and is thus not an issue for me personally. But I was definitely worried about it.
In a reverse wrinkle on this, in France, the policy is that anyone who has had Covid only receives ONE vaccine dose and is then considered fully vaccinated. So that's okay for my husband here in France for whatever he wants to do, he has his one dose and is considered fully vaccinated. However, I am almost certain that that is not going to be accepted by the United States — if we try to go home for Thanksgiving, I am afraid they are going to see his one dose and consider him NOT fully vaccinated.
Things are not easy, that's for sure!!
I'm caught in the cruise debacle, having one Astra Zeneca and one Moderna. The Canadian Cruiser section of Cruise Critic is lit right up over the whole thing. So, as things stand, for my Transatlantic next April Royal will let me on but corral me to venues with the truly unvaccinated. No thanks.
I'm trying not to get too worked up over these rules as surely they'll evolve.
Although dated August 4th, this may be outdated for France. An article appeared on our Tousanticovid app in France saying the medical authorities now want anyone in France who had AZ for the first jab to receive an MRNA vaccine for the second.
Additionally, on another post by a Canadian on this website, the French consulate confirmed that the mixed dose is acceptable.
The irony in all this is that no combination provides complete immunity. A friend of mine had covid over a year ago (fortunately she was not seriously sick), then got fully vaccinated with 2 Pfizer shots, and still got covid again.
When I went for my 2nd shot, Germany was recommending mixing them if you had received the AstraZeneca shot first, so I said to give me the Moderna. The guy checking my paperwork asked if I would have problems in the US having the 2 different ones. Hadn't even thought about that, as I don't think they even recognize the AstraZeneca? Anyway, told him I didn't care. My health is important and if getting the 2 vaccines gives me better protection that is all that is important. Hopefully, the US will recognize these mixtures as well as the AZ vaccines.
