Hundreds of thousands of people are being urged to bring forward their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
This is part of an effort to get as many people vaccinated as possible before restrictions are relaxed in England on July 19.
Text messages will be sent to 650,000 people telling them they need to make sure their second appointment for the vaccine is no more than eight weeks after their first.
Initially, vaccine doses were reserved up to 12 weeks apart, in an effort to boost immunity while spreading a tight supply among more people.
But the Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization (JCVI) has since changed its position to say that people should aim to receive their second dose between eight and 12 weeks later.
Experts said, however, that there was “no gain” in bringing the interval between doses closer.
JCVI Vice President Professor Anthony Harnden told Times Radio on Wednesday: “It’s pretty clear from studies of antibody T cells that you get a much weaker response and memory response of. poorer quality with a shorter interval – that’s a four week interval. compared to an interval of eight to twelve weeks.
“And real vaccine efficacy studies with real data show that there is lower vaccine efficacy against symptomatic diseases with shorter intervals compared to longer intervals.
“Then we asked the modelers to look at that and in fact the number of infections will increase if we reduce the dose.”
Sir Keith Willett, England’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program Manager, said: ‘Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and volunteers across the country, almost two-thirds of people in England have already received two doses jab.
“The second crucial dose provides maximum protection against the virus and it will protect you, your family and those around you.
“As July 19 approaches, there has never been a more important time to get bitten and it has never been easier – from pop-up sites in the …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-07-14 23:52:00
