The former acting director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that people are not getting their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines which “points to the importance of one-shot vaccine.” Statistics show that over 8% of people are not returning for that second, vital dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report in The New York Times this weekend. That means more than 5 million people have missed their second shot and may not have full immunity against the virus.
According to NBC/Today, Dr. Richard Besser said that the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine was temporarily paused by government regulators when several people developed blood clots after receiving the vaccine. But on Friday, a review board concluded that the benefits of the J & J drug far outweigh the risks. Of the 8 million shots administered in the U.S., 15 people developed the condition and three died, per USA Today.
Besser said that there has been a sharp drop off in the number of people getting vaccinated and does not think the U.S. will continue to administer 3 million doses daily. Having a one-shot vaccine could help those who are hesitant to get vaccinated.
According to NBC News/Today, Besser, a pediatrician, said that we have to address hesitancy issues to find out why people aren’t coming back for their second vaccine shot.
“You always see some tail off in terms of people coming back for a second dose,” said Besser. “We need to really understand, though, why are people not coming back? Is it because their arm was sore after the first dose? Or is it because they can’t take time off work? That there’s no vaccines available close to them? That the appointments aren’t as convenient as they thought they would be?
“We have to break it down and understand, and then put the resources into to address all of those concerns.”
The expert said while there is some protection from the first dose of vaccine, scientists do not know how long immunity lasts. According to Good Housekeeping, Dr. Nicholas Kman, an emergency physician at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, said getting both shots ensures as much immunity as possible against COVID-19.
Research has shown that getting only one shot of the Pfizer drug provides 52% defense against the spread of the virus and the first shot of the Moderna vaccine imparts 80% protection. But there are no clinical studies to show how long partial protection lasts. Kman says that while both vaccines do provide about 80% protection against a person becoming infected by the virus after the first dose, the second dose increases the number of antibodies in bloodstream tenfold, offering 95% efficacy.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases questions whether one shot of the vaccine can provide long-term immunity, per Good Housekeeping.
“When you leave it at one dose, the question is, how long does immunity last?” he asks. The infectious disease expert warns that with the new B.1.1.7 variant on the scene, “You’re in a tenuous zone if you don’t have full impact.”
If you do miss that second shot, Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease expert at NYU Langone Health and a vaccine researcher, tells TIME that you should schedule one as soon as you can. While the three-to-four-week gap is recommended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is okay to get your booster shot within 42 days of the first.