MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Many of you have reached out with concerns about receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in a timely manner.
The first dose rollout has been slow across the country, and it’s no different in Shelby County.
But will the vaccine still work if I get my second dose later than scheduled? It’s a question a lot of people are asking.
Our sources to verify this are The Federal Drug Administration, The Centers for Disease Control, and Pfizer Pharmaceutical.
In a statement Pfizer said, “Pfizer and BioNTech's Phase 3 study for the COVID-19 vaccine was designed to evaluate the vaccine's safety and efficacy following a 2-dose schedule, separated by 21 days. The safety and efficacy of the vaccine have not been evaluated on different dosing schedules."
So, while it is advised that those in the first-priority group take the vaccine doses 21 days apart, information is limited. Pfizer really couldn't tell Local 24 News what happens if you take the second shot past that 21-day window.
Moderna's response was similar with a threshold of 28 days.
The FDA could not say anything definitively about how long you are protected after a single dose of vaccine based on clinical trials.
Meanwhile, the CDC tells us it is recommended people take the shot within that three-to-four-week range, but it’s not absolutely required.
In a statement the CDC said, "The second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be scheduled for administration up to six weeks, or 42 days after the first dose. The CDC is not advocating that you delay getting your second dose, but the data from clinical trials support this range."
They also tell us if the second dose is administered beyond this timeframe, there is no need to start all over.
So, while we cannot verify what happens if you wait too long to get that second dose, experts say you can get the shot past the recommended time frame.
