How many days can the second dose of Pfizer be delayed and what protection does the first give? 20% of Madrid residents reject or postpone the second dose. In addition, the Ministry has assumed certain delays in the last puncture. The time between doses can be extended from 21 to 42 days.
The second shot of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine should be administered within 21 days of the first. A spacing that marks the pharmaceutical but that can be delayed in cases of supply problems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Presently, in the Community of Madrid there are delays in the administration of the second dose of Pfizer and BioNTech. Thus, the Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, although he has repeatedly stressed that the administration of the second dose is guaranteed in the region, has admitted that there may be delays of several days within the margins established in Pharmaceuticals’ technical data sheet.
In addition to this supply problem, 20% of Madrid residents are rejecting or postponing the appointment to receive the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccines because it coincides with a vacation time outside the community, as reported to Europe Press sources of the Ministry of Health.
Regardless of the reason for the delay, the World Health Organization assured that the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine could be spaced a total of 42 days, that is, six weeks . However, it should be noted that the scientific community is warning that the way to be more protected against the Delta variant is with the complete vaccination schedule.
How effective is the first dose of Pfizer
According to the scientific journal JAMA Open Access, the effectiveness data of a dose of Pfizer / BioNTech at 13-24 days is 54.4% against symptomatic infection and 51% against infection confirmed by PCR. A small percentage when compared to the immunity that is achieved after the second dose, which is more than 90%.
