What Should Be The Gap Between First And Second Dose Of COVID Vaccine?

As the cases of COVID19 are increasing every day, health experts are now having varying thoughts on how to administer the vaccine. The virus is once again spreading at an alarming rate in India and other countries as well. When the time is crucial, people are trying to understand whether to wait long before administering the second dose of the vaccine or to lessen the wait time.

The experts are trying to see if it will be better to vaccinate more number of people and give them at least the first dose or to finish with both the doses for a person. There are varying opinions on this as health experts have different views.

Two Shot Method

Virologist and vaccine scientist Dr Larry Corey shared that the two shots should be given as soon as possible. Giving two shots together is safer as when you give just one shot, the risk of mutation becomes higher.

“The virus, when it gets inside a host with only partial immunity, has a greater opportunity to linger inside the body and keep replicating until it develops certain evolutionary advantages,” wrote Corey in an editorial on the Timmerman Report.

Michele Roberts, acting assistant secretary for the Washington State Department of Health suggested that the vaccines should be taken at the designated schedule. The wait time is necessary and waiting for at least 3 weeks before the second dose will be better.

Delay in Second Shot

Some are arguing that it is better to give more people the first dose. You can administer the vaccine to more people in this manner. Give the first dose to as many as possible when we have the storage. By that time, we can get the supply for the second dose.

“Everyone should get one dose as quickly as possible and as we have enough supply. We can catch up with the second dose,” said Ruanne Barnabas, an epidemiologist with the University of Washington’s Department of Global Health.