The new strategy, announced on Wednesday by the head of the UK’s drug regulator MHRA, means that the interval between doses can be extended to 12 weeks instead of the previously set three weeks.
The British Medical Association (BMA), an organization representing doctors in the UK, has encouraged discussion among experts, currently criticizing the move to postpone appointments for very vulnerable patients awaiting their debilitated patients.
U.K. The Pfizer / Bioentech vaccine has been in use since early December, when the country became the first country in the world to recognize it, but supply is limited.
Argument over vaccination strategy As infection rates increase in most parts of the UK, thanks to a new, more contagious version of the virus. Much of England is now under strict levels of control to limit the spread of the virus.
“This group of very elderly patients has the highest risk of death if contracted Kovid-11, which is why the GPO is so concerned about them. It is absolutely and inappropriate for thousands of our very dangerous patients right now. The chairman of the General Practitioners Committee, Dr. Richard Wautre, said in a statement on Thursday that he would try to create a timetable in his appointments.
The Doctors Association UK also raised “real and serious concerns” about the new vaccination strategy, warning on Friday that it could undermine the National Health Service’s patient consent process, as well as “complete failure to follow science.”
Pfizer, meanwhile, said it did not have information that a single dose of its vaccine would provide protection against the disease after more than 21 days.
The Phase 3 study for Pfizer and Bioentech’s Kozid-19 vaccine, after a 2-dose schedule, is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, which differs from 21 days, “Pfizer said in a statement on Thursday.” The first dose after 21 days. There is no data to show that defense after sustaining. ”
“The second dose of the vaccine is likely to be very important for the period of protection, and the appropriate dose interval may increase the effectiveness of the vaccine,” they said.
“In the short term, an increase in vaccine effectiveness from a second dose is likely to be normal; a large part of the initial protection from clinical disease is after the first dose of the vaccine.”
‘Terrible effect’ on emotional well-being
The BMA warned in its statement that delays could have a “devastating effect on the emotional well-being” of vulnerable and at-risk patients.
“The BMA believes that these are patients who have already been promised by the NHS and local physicians that they will receive a second dose of Pfizer vaccination next week; they have agreed to receive it and, of course, , Expecting that, ”BMA said.
BMA chairman Vautre told CNN on Friday that health care professionals were particularly concerned about the “practicality of doing so quickly” with little warning given to practitioners about improved guidance.
“We were told in the last day that we expect, next Monday, to reschedule all the appointments we made for next week … it was not practical for our practice staff to do it anytime soon” time scope, “Wautre said.
“We wanted their commitment to our elderly patients to have their vaccine honored, definitely in the next few days.”
Helen Salisbury, a general practitioner in the English city of Oxford, told the BBC’s Today program on Friday that she had not yet practiced. Canceled other existing visits next week. This was because, firstly, he could not find any data about immunity after the first dose when he was given a booster 21 days later, and secondly, because the practice sought to protect his most vulnerable patients, the elderly and them. Maintain their confidence in the vaccine.
“When you start a patient on a course of treatment and you say, this is the same plan, here’s a job, please come back in three weeks, it’s really important that you have another job that is completely safe – And then rotate after five minutes and say no, don’t worry about it, you can get it in 12 weeks rather than three weeks – I don’t think it’s good enough, really, ”he said.
In his letter, the chief medical officer said he recognizes the operational difficulties and potential inconvenience of rescheduling other appointments on short notice.
“However, we are all aware that a second dose of the Covid-1 vaccine has been promoted for every 1,000 people in January (which will protect against serious disease, resulting in protection against serious disease), with significant early protection for 1,000 new people.” “In most cases they are likely to be protected from 0% to at least 70%,” he said.
Pfizer said it did not evaluate the different dosing schedules because “most trial participants received a second dose within the window specified in the study design.”
In its open letter, the Doctors Association UK wrote: “The protection provided by the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine is significantly lower, compared to 95% if given two doses every three weeks.”
Wautre told CNN that more assurances would be needed from both the UK’s chief medical officers and Pfizer to give healthcare professionals and patients confidence in the government’s strategy.
“We need Pfizer for confidence that this new dose regime will deliver effective coverage and protection for our patients, especially our most vulnerable patients,” Wautre said.
UK regulators have also advised a second dose of the newly approved Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be rolled out from Monday, four to 12 weeks later.
U.S. But Jabs thinks of giving a distance
The strategy to lengthen the interval between the first and second vaccine doses is also “under consideration” in the United States, National Anthology and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said Thursday.
U.S. So far two vaccines have been approved for use in, Pfizer / Bioentech shot and another made by Modern, which requires a second dose after 28 days.
“I still think that, if done properly, you can do one dose, reserve a dose for another, and still get the job done,” Fockie said on NBC’s Today show, “but you There is a lot of debate about whether or not there is. We want to spread the early vaccination by vaccinating more people in the first round. “
“It can be discussed both ways, but if a person doesn’t get another dose in time and there is a period, there is a potential problem,” Fawcett said.
He said he knew from clinical trials that “the best time is to give it a day and then 28 days for Moderna and 21 days for Pfizer, the best way to do what the same data tells us.”
If you want to stick with the data, how it should be done, he said, “But you can argue, and some people, about stretching the dose by giving one dose across the board and hopefully you give individuals another dose in a timely manner. To get. “
UK Prime Minister Boris Jones took an optimistic note of the vaccines in a speech on New Year’s Eve.
“We still have a tough struggle for weeks and months as we face a new type of disease that needs new vigilance,” he said.
“But as soon as the sun goes down tomorrow, 2021, we have the certainty of those vaccines. I believe that, after all, we will finally do the years of bathing in the glitter of Rosario, lost in the past. , Theaters, restaurants or holding hands with our loved ones in general. “
CNN’s Niam Kennedy and Vasco Kotovio contributed to the report.
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