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CDC: Second Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Can Follow as Late as 6 Weeks After First

CDC Says Second Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Can Follow as Late as 6 Weeks After First

January 18, 2021-New York State COVID-19 Drive -Thru Vaccination site opens in Plattsburgh at Plattsburgh International Airport , 213 Connecticut Drive. Image comes courtesy of the Office of the Governor of the State of New York.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC) says that the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can be administered as late as 42 days (6 weeks) after the first dose – as per their updated guidance issued on January 21, 2021.

It’s been almost universally understood that patients receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should receive their second dose 3 weeks (21 days) following the first dose. For the Moderna vaccine that time length is 28 days.

Yet, as I’ve reported, NYC has been one very special clusterfuck in the way that facilities, participants and others have been educated, understaffed and inconsistent in the information they’ve managed to provide, if at all.

Take for example my loved one whom I’ve previous written about. Upon getting his first shot he was handed a card with that day’s date and the date of his supposed follow-up. He wasn’t told to return to that specific facility. Apparently, many of those other patients immediately before and after him were complaining to the facility workers out of frustration. Not receiving any immediate emails and not knowing what to do next.

Following your dose you’re advised to rest on the side for at least 15 minutes. Thus, how he knew what was going with those who received their shots prior to and following his own injection.

He managed to get an appointment for 33 days past his first dose before we learnt of the CDC’s supposed advisory. But, so concerned and near panic was my relative that he sought out his own hospital who finally advised him to come in as a ‘walk in’ to get his second dose on the 28th day following his first dose.

It was only by happenstance that I stumbled upon word from a news cast which only barely touched upon the answer. “Six weeks” I heard. ‘and there it was. I’d finally found the answer at the CDC site.

I sit here wondering about the many other lone seniors who might’ve been worrying themselves to no end. Calling and calling with nary a soul to speak with. My relative’s hospital gave him info which contradicted that which the CDC furnished online. They’re understanding centered on the 28 days being strict guidance.

So my bigger question is this:

Mayor de Blasio, Governor Cuomo. What are you doing about this? What are you doing to educate New Yorkers about how long they can wait before getting their second dose?

Have you no clue how this lack of information leaves some suffering in fear? Needless Fear!

The following was taken from the CDC’s Page:

The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series consist of two doses administered intramuscularly:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech (30 µg, 0.3 ml each): 3 weeks (21 days) apart
  • Moderna (100 µg, 0.5 ml): 1 month (28 days) apart

Persons should not be scheduled to receive the second dose earlier than recommended (i.e., 3 weeks [Pfizer-BioNTech] or 1 month [Moderna]). However, second doses administered within a grace period of 4 days earlier than the recommended date for the second dose are still considered valid. Doses inadvertently administered earlier than the grace period should not be repeated.

The second dose should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible. However, if it is not feasible to adhere to the recommended interval, the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be scheduled for administration up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose. There are currently limited data on efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines administered beyond this window. If the second dose is administered beyond these intervals, there is no need to restart the series.

 

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