covid booster during layover?
October 19, 2022 12:29 AM Subscribe
Is it possible/practical to get bivalent booster during a 10 hour layover at DFW?
I am currently in Australia and will be going on a cruise to antarctica in early november. On my way i have a 10 hour layover in DFW then a week in Buenos Aires before heading to Ushuaia.
I’d like to get a covid booster before heading off but the current government advice here in Australia does not permit me to. I’ve had 4 shots of Pfizer so far, most recent was over 3 months ago. (2 initial shots, 2 boosters)
Will it be possible/practical to get bivalent booster during the 10 hour layover in DFW (ideally) or even during my week in Buenos Aires?
I am currently in Australia and will be going on a cruise to antarctica in early november. On my way i have a 10 hour layover in DFW then a week in Buenos Aires before heading to Ushuaia.
I’d like to get a covid booster before heading off but the current government advice here in Australia does not permit me to. I’ve had 4 shots of Pfizer so far, most recent was over 3 months ago. (2 initial shots, 2 boosters)
Will it be possible/practical to get bivalent booster during the 10 hour layover in DFW (ideally) or even during my week in Buenos Aires?
> Will it be possible/practical
Possible: dfw airport has a walk-in clinic and pharmacy
After calling them, I'd hit google maps, pick 3 pharmacies within a short Uber of the airport and just call them.
Practical: Nope. The covid vaccines knock some people on their ass for 12-24 hours. You don't want to be flying and navigating customs while feeling ill. I'd do it in Buenos Aires. Try the subreddit and tourism subreddit if it helps.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:31 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Possible: dfw airport has a walk-in clinic and pharmacy
After calling them, I'd hit google maps, pick 3 pharmacies within a short Uber of the airport and just call them.
Practical: Nope. The covid vaccines knock some people on their ass for 12-24 hours. You don't want to be flying and navigating customs while feeling ill. I'd do it in Buenos Aires. Try the subreddit and tourism subreddit if it helps.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:31 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
2nding the - are you sure you want to undertake significant international air travel after the shot. Reaction to the jab seems to vary wildly even for the same person. I was in a bit of pain on and off for 10+ days after the first, largely fine after the 2nd, knocked out incl. feverish within less than half a day after the 3rd, tired after the 4th...my preference would be to get it in Argentina unless you learn that you'd not be able to get it done there.
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:03 AM on October 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:03 AM on October 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: googling seems to indicate that code 3 at DFW is permanently closed? not having to clear customs at all in the usa would be preferred. there are stories of the national guard offering vaccines to tourists airside a while ago so i was hoping something might still be on offer.
i'll look into options in argentina and hope the advice locally changes in the meantime.
posted by onya at 3:27 AM on October 19, 2022
i'll look into options in argentina and hope the advice locally changes in the meantime.
posted by onya at 3:27 AM on October 19, 2022
not having to clear customs at all in the usa would be preferred.
As a side note, you don't have a choice here. Anyone arriving on an international flight in the US must clear US immigration and customs in their first port of entry, even if you are proceeding immediately, as in your case, to another international flight.
(The only exceptions are if you are arriving from an airport with US preclearance, which wouldn't be the case for anyone arriving directly from Australia.)
posted by andrewesque at 4:33 AM on October 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
As a side note, you don't have a choice here. Anyone arriving on an international flight in the US must clear US immigration and customs in their first port of entry, even if you are proceeding immediately, as in your case, to another international flight.
(The only exceptions are if you are arriving from an airport with US preclearance, which wouldn't be the case for anyone arriving directly from Australia.)
posted by andrewesque at 4:33 AM on October 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
Highly unlikely that Gov Greg Abbott, who sued the federal government over the vaccine mandate, would mobilize the Texas National Guard to administer vaccines at DFW.
Argentina might be a better option for you, but be aware that you will not be completely protected at the time of your cruise either way. Some booster is better than no booster, of course, but it will still take closer to 10 days to gain full protection.
posted by basalganglia at 4:48 AM on October 19, 2022
Argentina might be a better option for you, but be aware that you will not be completely protected at the time of your cruise either way. Some booster is better than no booster, of course, but it will still take closer to 10 days to gain full protection.
posted by basalganglia at 4:48 AM on October 19, 2022
Response by poster: just going off of articles like this re: the national guard, although it's almost a year old at this point.
posted by onya at 5:26 AM on October 19, 2022
posted by onya at 5:26 AM on October 19, 2022
Practical: Nope. The covid vaccines knock some people on their ass for 12-24 hours.
Just a data point obviously, but I got the bi-valent booster about a month ago and experienced zero side effects. The previous booster had made me EXTREMELY sleepy.
My wife's experience was similar, if more dramatic; the previous booster gave her a fever, exhaustion and chills, and this time around it was nothing more than a few hours of the sniffles.
Good luck!
posted by saladin at 5:32 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just a data point obviously, but I got the bi-valent booster about a month ago and experienced zero side effects. The previous booster had made me EXTREMELY sleepy.
My wife's experience was similar, if more dramatic; the previous booster gave her a fever, exhaustion and chills, and this time around it was nothing more than a few hours of the sniffles.
Good luck!
posted by saladin at 5:32 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just a data point obviously, but I got the bi-valent booster about a month ago and experienced zero side effects.
Also just an anecdote, but myself, my partner, and two friends all got the booster recently, and all four of us were pretty much knocked flat the following day. The fatigue didn't last all that long, but I would not have wanted to be traveling internationally during that. So while the answer to your question is almost certainly "yes, with some work you could find a way to do this," I would question whether or not it is a good idea. Is there a possibility of seeking out a booster on your return flight rather than on your outbound leg?
posted by Dip Flash at 6:36 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also just an anecdote, but myself, my partner, and two friends all got the booster recently, and all four of us were pretty much knocked flat the following day. The fatigue didn't last all that long, but I would not have wanted to be traveling internationally during that. So while the answer to your question is almost certainly "yes, with some work you could find a way to do this," I would question whether or not it is a good idea. Is there a possibility of seeking out a booster on your return flight rather than on your outbound leg?
posted by Dip Flash at 6:36 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
In the Airport? No idea. Outside it, probably.
Many places have the bivalent booster available for walkins. There's a bunch of sites to look that up.
You will need to figure out how it's payed for. If you have insurance valid in the US, then present your card and you should be good to go.
Out of pocket should be easier but it may not be possible. This may have changed but at least until recently, there was no out of pocket charge for anyone (legally?) in the US. So if you didn't have insurance, you could still get a shot without paying. This might not be the case anymore.
The process I've gone through has been very streamlined. Schedule online (or not in some cases) fill out a form, present my insurance info and get a shot within a half hour or so. This has been the case at HEB (supermarket with pharmacy), Walgreens (pharmacy/corner shop), and Sam's Club (big box store with pharmacy).
posted by jclarkin at 6:40 AM on October 19, 2022
Many places have the bivalent booster available for walkins. There's a bunch of sites to look that up.
You will need to figure out how it's payed for. If you have insurance valid in the US, then present your card and you should be good to go.
Out of pocket should be easier but it may not be possible. This may have changed but at least until recently, there was no out of pocket charge for anyone (legally?) in the US. So if you didn't have insurance, you could still get a shot without paying. This might not be the case anymore.
The process I've gone through has been very streamlined. Schedule online (or not in some cases) fill out a form, present my insurance info and get a shot within a half hour or so. This has been the case at HEB (supermarket with pharmacy), Walgreens (pharmacy/corner shop), and Sam's Club (big box store with pharmacy).
posted by jclarkin at 6:40 AM on October 19, 2022
The process I've gone through has been very streamlined. Schedule online (or not in some cases) fill out a form, present my insurance info and get a shot within a half hour or so.
Ditto. I had insurance so I'm not sure what would be needed if you didn't, but in the online scheduling there was an option you could select for "don't have insurance," so at least here (in a blue state, not Texas) it is baked into the system.
Also be aware that lots of places will say "walk-ins welcome" but then there will be a piece of paper taped up saying that no walk-in appointments are available today. The pharmacy I was using until recently had that taped up well over half the time.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:53 AM on October 19, 2022
Ditto. I had insurance so I'm not sure what would be needed if you didn't, but in the online scheduling there was an option you could select for "don't have insurance," so at least here (in a blue state, not Texas) it is baked into the system.
Also be aware that lots of places will say "walk-ins welcome" but then there will be a piece of paper taped up saying that no walk-in appointments are available today. The pharmacy I was using until recently had that taped up well over half the time.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:53 AM on October 19, 2022
Okay, I took a very cursory look at Argentina - it's not clear from that (again, super quick) look that you'll necessarily be able to do it there. It's not certain if the new bivalent vaccines are even approved there yet, or if you can just go get one when you're not enrolled in the local health system (you wouldn't be able to in my country, for instance). Hopefully someone who actually knows will be along here, but I'm not sure if we have members in Argentina...
posted by trig at 6:57 AM on October 19, 2022
posted by trig at 6:57 AM on October 19, 2022
You can rule out Buenos Aires, I'm afraid. One of the more reliable news sites in Argentina says they won't have the bivalent boosters until 2023.
posted by dr. boludo at 7:09 AM on October 19, 2022
posted by dr. boludo at 7:09 AM on October 19, 2022
The bivalent booster definitely did a number on me. I got it on a Friday afternoon, then basically did nothing but lie around for the entire weekend. I've heard similar stories from almost everyone I know who's had it.
I couldn't imagine traveling immediately after getting it.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 9:44 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
I couldn't imagine traveling immediately after getting it.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 9:44 AM on October 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
More anecdata: spouse and I got the Pfizer bivalent booster, and felt like crap for 36 hours. My mom and daughter got the Moderna, and felt little side effect. My previous booster was Moderna, and it didn't make me sick. Anec-scientific conclusion: choose Moderna.
posted by polecat at 1:23 PM on October 19, 2022
posted by polecat at 1:23 PM on October 19, 2022
Additional anecdata with travel involved: Mr. Kouti and I got bivalent + flu vaccines Saturday, 1 pm PT. We flew from OAK to BNA Sunday, 8 am PT. I slept most of the flight, and I do not remember a blessed *thing* between collapsing in our hotel room at Sunday 2 pm CT and waking up Monday morning around 8 am CT, though Mr. Kouti swears I must have woken up at some point to eat the leftover Hattie's Hot Chicken he picked up because there wasn't anything left for breakfast, not even a biscuit. I was still moderately tired most of Monday, but fine by Tuesday.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 2:15 PM on October 19, 2022
posted by Pandora Kouti at 2:15 PM on October 19, 2022
Also anecdotal - Mr. Getawaysticks and I got (Moderna) bivalent 2 weeks ago. 1.5 days of sore arm. No other side effects.
posted by getawaysticks at 8:26 PM on October 24, 2022
posted by getawaysticks at 8:26 PM on October 24, 2022
Response by poster: As a side note, you don't have a choice here. Anyone arriving on an international flight in the US must clear US immigration and customs in their first port of entry, even if you are proceeding immediately, as in your case, to another international flight.
turns out that flying american airlines into dallas (and miami?) is an exception.
posted by onya at 3:15 PM on November 2, 2022
turns out that flying american airlines into dallas (and miami?) is an exception.
posted by onya at 3:15 PM on November 2, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
(Also, in case you don't have good travel health insurance, do make sure you get some, not because it would cover the vaccine - I doubt it would - but because you really don't want to risk having a bad reaction (or anything else happening) and having to pay privately for medical care in the US, slight as the odds may be. I speak from unhappy experience.)
posted by trig at 1:05 AM on October 19, 2022 [2 favorites]