When Egyptians started getting vaccinated a few months ago, the protocol was quite simple, straightforward, and everyone knew what to expect. If you were getting the Sinopharm vaccination, your second dose would be scheduled after 3 weeks. However, if you were getting the AstraZeneca vaccination, your second dose would be scheduled in 3 months.
Is it safe to receive your second dose of AstraZeneca before the 3-month mark?
AstraZeneca Vaccine 2nd dose
Lately, many Egyptians who have taken their first AstraZeneca shot at the travel vaccine offices are being asked to come back for their second shot in 3-4 weeks instead of 3 months. This has stirred some panic amongst Egyptians and many are questioning if it is still safe to take the second dose that soon.
In this study, the vaccine efficacy was compared across different intervals between the first and second dose and the results show that a shorter interval of less than 6 weeks between the two doses only showed a 55% vaccine efficacy, whereas a 12 weeks interval went up to 80%.
According to the WHO, while the AstraZeneca vaccine has an average of 63.09% efficacy against COVID-19 infection, a longer interval between the two doses ranging from 8-12 weeks results in greater vaccine efficacy.
According to the Australian Health Government Website, the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine can be taken between 4-12 weeks, but a 12 week interval is recommended.
Conclusion
Based on the above information, while it is safe to take your 2nd dose of AstraZeneca after 4 weeks, it is recommended to wait 12 weeks to get a better efficacy against COVID-19.
Further reading:
- Is the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?
- Where to Get a Vaccination Certificate for Travel in Egypt
- Countries That Will Require COVID-19 Vaccine to Allow Entry
sources used in this article:
- What you need to know about AstraZeneca vaccine -WHO
- Do people have to receive two doses of the same vaccine? – Australian Government Department of Health
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