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If you don’t take the second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, you will not reach full immunity and will be at higher risk of contracting the virus
If you don’t take the second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, you will not reach full immunity against the virus and will be at higher risk of contracting the disease.
According to the CDC, the recommended duration between the first and second doses is as follows:
- 3 weeks (21 days) apart for Pfizer-BioNTech
- 4 weeks (28 days) apart for Moderna
If you missed the second dose, try to get it within 6 weeks of the first dose. However, even if you pass the 6-week time limit, you should still get the second dose as soon as you can.
You can delay your second dose 42 days from the recommended second dose interval, as a few initial studies have reported that this doesn’t have a negative effect. Other studies have reported that older adults who waited for 12 weeks between shots had higher antibody levels than those who waited the recommended 3 week.
How effective are COVID-19 vaccines?
COVID-19 vaccines are crucial to build immunity against the virus. A study shared by the CDC reports that a single dose of Pfizer provides 60%-80% of protection against COVID-19, whereas two doses provide 90% protection.
The aim of the vaccines is to develop herd immunity against COVID-19, which is essential considering the constant mutations and new variants of COVID-19 that keep emerging. There is no evidence that a single dose can provide complete protection against COVID-19 and its variants.
As the new Omicron variant spreads in many areas of the world, Pfizer recently announced that three doses of the vaccine may be needed to combat the variant, although two doses still provide significant protection against COVID-19 and the Delta variant.
Tips for getting your second dose on time
Life can get busy, and it’s easy to forget or miss an appointment. Here are some tips to ensure you don’t miss your second dose:
- Clear your calendar: Before scheduling your first dose, make sure you don’t have anything going on that day. Try to prioritize your vaccine appointment above other things.
- Schedule the second dose as soon as possible: The CDC states that getting a second dose from a different location than your first dose is fine, as long as you are getting the same vaccine for both doses.
- Set reminders: Use online calendar or email reminders to alert you about your appointment.