Palangiškė alarmed: it was time to get vaccinated for the second time against coronavirus because vaccines were no longer available

However, already preparing to go to the clinic, the woman received a call not to be in a hurry yet because there are no vaccines at this time.

“It just came to our attention then. He said he would call and call again when necessary. But I am concerned that if the second dose is not vaccinated for a long time, immunity will develop,” the woman worried.

People often have questions about how long to wait between two shots. Marius Strioga, a doctor of biomedical sciences from the National Cancer Institute, also asked about this last week on the weekly “Shoulder for Freedom” program on Facebook and YouTube, organized by the Ministry of Health (SAM).

One viewer, M. Striogai, wrote: “I was vaccinated with AstraZeneca on March 5. Is the date of the second vaccination June 5 set correctly? The interval between vaccinations will be 13 weeks. ”Similar problems have arisen for many people vaccinated with the vaccine, as the gap between vaccinations with other vaccines is smaller.

Ms. Strioga said: “Based on AstraZeneca’s vaccine studies, it is recommended that the second dose of the vaccine be given 90 days later, as the automatic response after the first dose will start to weaken. Is it 12 or 13 weeks? There is no significant difference. “

Specifically, to the listener’s question, the doctor replied: “Yes, this is a rational moment and the immune response to memory will definitely be activated. Although ideally after 90 days, it will not always be possible with an intensive vaccination program. “

Still, wouldn’t a longer interval between vaccine doses prevent the development of immunity?

Julijanas Gališanskis, Chief Specialist of the SAM Press Service, responded: “According to the manufacturer’s instructions, the second dose of the vaccine should not be given earlier than 28 days after the first dose. Delays of several days or even a week will not significantly affect the effectiveness of the vaccine. “

According to a SAM representative, Moderna vaccines are delayed due to the manufacturer’s adjustment of delivery schedules. However, a new shipment of this vaccine should arrive in Lithuania already this Tuesday.

After clarifying how much time should elapse between doses of vaccines from two different manufacturers, J. Gališanskis stated:

• When AstraZeneca is administered, there is an interval of 4 to 12 weeks between the first and second doses of the vaccine.
• BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine 21 days apart;
• For the Moderna vaccine, the second dose is administered 28 days later.