Don’t miss the second vaccination in a tight supply of COVID-19 vaccine: Shot

Twenty-one days after the first vaccination, Narski’s Grant received a second scheduled Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from RN Valerie Masaro at the Hartford Convention Center in January.

AFP via Joseph Prezioso / Getty Images

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AFP via Joseph Prezioso / Getty Images

Twenty-one days after the first vaccination, Narski’s Grant received a second scheduled Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from RN Valerie Masaro at the Hartford Convention Center in January.

AFP via Joseph Prezioso / Getty Images

The COVID-19 vaccine these days resembles liquid gold. As more people qualify, demand will continue to exceed current supply. The state also manages weekly allocations of Pfizer and Modana vaccines to ensure that there are enough injections for the second dose, but reports of snuffs and postponed appointments are scattered.

In Connecticut, the Torrington Community Health District in the northwest corner of the state scrambled as authorities cleared up a flaw in the scheduling system. Increase capacity Administer shots to residents who have difficulty making a second appointment.Several mass vaccination sites are facing in California, including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Temporary closure Because they are waiting for weekly shipments of doses. In Princeton, NJ, some older people are confused about how to secure a second vaccination appointment after the city’s vaccination center. Stop working■ Due to supply shortage.

Supply is expected to increase, but for a variety of reasons, “people who need a second dose seem to be finding challenges,” he said. Jason Schwartz of Yale University Who is tracking deployments across the United States In some places, people at Second Shot Cue are “currently qualified and competing with an increasing number of individuals signing up for their first dosing appointment,” Schwartz said. say.

In theory, this shouldn’t happen because vaccine providers should be given the same dose, explains. Dr. Mark Boom, CEO of Houston Methodist, part of the Texas Medical Center. “Every Monday the first dose is assigned and every Wednesday [shipment] With our second dose [allocations]”So far, it’s working very well,” Boom added without interruption in his hospital system.

Still, as thousands of new providers manage shots and multiple distribution channels open, Schwartz says he should probably continue to anticipate some glitches in the coming weeks.I bought the Biden administration Sufficient vaccine supply to vaccinate all Americans, It will take several months for these vaccines to be manufactured and delivered.

So what can you do to maximize the chances of taking your second dose on time? And what if the site you plan to receive the second shot runs out of vaccine temporarily? Also, what is the CDC’s new guidance on how to stay safe after being fully vaccinated? There are several answers:

Schedule a second shot before leaving the first appointment

After taking the first shot, you may be asked to wait in the observation area for 15-30 minutes. During that period, some vaccination sites will help you make your next appointment.

“The state certainly encourages providers … schedule [people] Rodrigo Martinez of CICHealth, who runs two vaccination sites in Massachusetts, said, “For the second vaccination at that time, recommend and book a second vaccination when people are in the observation area. I will help you. ” In a question before leaving the vaccination site, he suggests to people in other states. If no booking is offered in the meantime, schedule it online and identify it as soon as you get home.

Wherever you take a shot, you will be given a vaccination card after the first dose. “”Hold it and store it somewhere safe!! “The CIC website advises you that you may need to book a second shot. Take a photo of your document on your mobile phone. If you lose it, you will need a backup.

In conclusion, don’t wait for someone to contact you about that second appointment. Try to be as aggressive as possible.

There is a wiggle room to delay the second shot if needed

Ideally, if you have been vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine, the second vaccination should be given 28 days after the first vaccination. If you have been vaccinated with Pfizer vaccine, you will need to give a second vaccination 21 days after the first vaccination. But what if you can’t make a second booking due to schedule conflicts or transportation issues? Or what if the vaccination site’s dose runs out on the scheduled date?

With a pinch, you can Safely delay the second dose up to 42 days, According to the CDC.In clinical trials, vaccine makers focused on “the shortest reasonable time to give” [second-dose] “Booster” Dr. Gabor Keren Of Johns Hopkins University.that is 21st and 28th, For Pfizer vaccine and Modana vaccine, respectively.But that doesn’t mean that a slightly delayed second dose is “not as effective for long-term immunity,” he says... The CDC guidance states that the second dose should be as close to the recommended interval as possible, and Keren states that it is the provider’s goal, but this wiggle room makes sense. He says.

And one more thing to remember: Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are not designed to be compatible.. Therefore, if the first shot is a Pfizer vaccine, the second dose must also be a Pfizer. Except for the rare “exceptional situations,” the CDC says. This is another reason to bring your vaccination card (or its photo) when you come to your second appointment. The card clearly states the vaccine you received.

Why do you still need to wear a face mask and take other precautions?

Hopefully you will make your second dose feel safer. However, keep in mind that it can take several weeks from the second dose to reach the strongest immune levels, and the virus is still widely circulating after that. Herd immunity is still far away.. Therefore, for now, the CDC recommends that you continue to follow after being fully vaccinated. Current guidance To live in a pandemic era, such as wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, avoiding poorly ventilated areas, covering coughs and sneezing, and washing your hands frequently.

Another reason to keep up with these precautions for now: It is still possible that some people will be infected with the virus after vaccination. Although vaccinated people are protected from symptomatological illnesses, there are concerns that even after vaccination, people can become infected and carry the virus. Based on recent preliminary data, the risk seems low. Therefore, the CDC has now updated its guidance and fully vaccinated people do not need to be quarantined after being exposed to people who have COVID-19 or have recently been tested positive for coronavirus. It is recommended that.

“I think it’s rational [policy]”To tell Dr. Francis Willison, A doctor at Yale University. “They weigh the potential harm of quarantine (including loss of income) to the potential risk of spread,” Wilson says. But as the CDC continues to evaluate new data and better understand the changing dynamics of the pandemic, he says, this guidance may change again.