TULSA, Okla. — Many Oklahomans have been unable to schedule an appointment for their second covid vaccine booster shot.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 28 days between doses for the Moderna vaccine and 21 days for the Pfizer vaccine. However, due to delays in the vaccine pipeline and scheduling issues, many are losing hope they’ll receive that second dose within that time frame.
For Yukon's Debi Musick, finding a place to get the COVID-19 vaccine was a shot of luck. After scouring the internet, she stumbled upon Beckham County Health Department’s Facebook page advertising its vaccine clinic.
“Honestly, it was just by luck that I was able to find that,” Musick said.
Debi, her husband and her parents made an appointment and received the Moderna vaccine in Elk City on Jan. 5. But, they were unable to schedule a second appointment. As availability grows scarce across the state, she’s now concerned too much time will pass between the two doses for the vaccine to be effective.
Medical experts told 2 Works for You the first dose gives more than 50% immunity, which won’t kick-in for a week with Pfizer’s vaccine and two weeks for Moderna’s vaccine.
“If you get the boost within a reasonable amount of time, you’ll have the same effect,” said Dr. Douglas Drevets, infectious disease officer for OU Health.
Dr. Drevets said data on the timeline between doses is limited, but most people will generate a significant immune response just after one dose.
“Exactly how effective that will be is somewhat up in the air, but it’s probably between 50 and 75 percent effective,” Dr. Drevets said.
Additionally, the Oklahoma State Department of Health recently put out a statement from the CDC saying, “There is no maximum interval between the first and second doses for either vaccine. You should not get the second dose earlier than the recommended interval.”
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