Dr. Max's COVID Vaccine FAQs: Should Every Available Dose Of The Vaccine Be Used Right Away Or Some Saved For A Second Round?
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The COVID vaccine rollout has been far slower than promised, and millions of people are clamoring to get their shots.
That's led to calls to release every available dose right away, but public health experts are divided on the advisability of that plan.
CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez examines the pros and cons.
The original Operation Warp Speed distribution plan called for holding back half of the available doses to ensure that second booster doses would be available 21 days later for Pfizer or 28 days for Moderna.
But with reports of millions of doses sitting unused in freezers, President-elect Joe Biden and some public health experts are advocating immediately releasing every vaccine dose as it's manufactured.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
- Ask CBS2's Dr. Max Your Vaccine Questions
- COVID Vaccine FAQ From CDC
- Find A New York City Testing Site Near You
- Check NYC Testing Wait Times
- Explanation Of N.Y.'s Yellow, Orange, Red Zones (.pdf)
- Resources: Help With Unemployment, Hunger, Mental Health & More
- Remote Learning Tools For Students And Parents At Home
- Complete Coronavirus Coverage
"Given all of our current constraints in the supply chain constraints that might be coming, I think releasing all the doses is a good idea," said Dr. Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical officer for Yale New Haven Health.
Dr. Balcezak said they've taken the approach that getting the vaccine into arms as soon as the shots become available is a good idea because even one dose of either vaccine confers 50% or more immunity.
The downside?
"That it expects that the supply chains will remain consistent and that we will be getting second doses in a timeframe that meets the 21- and 28-day needs. So that's a big if," Dr. Balcezak said.
If the second dose supplies fall short, there's also talk of invoking the Defense Production Act, although vaccine production is not the same as getting GM to start making ventilators.
The second vaccine booster dose is what increases immunity to near 95%, and also what helps make memory cells that confer longer-lasting protection than just antibodies. What's not known is what happens if you don't get that second dose on time.
The Centers for Disease Control says it's OK. Just get it as soon as you can. But delayed effectiveness has not yet been studied.
Do you have a COVID vaccine question for Dr. Max? Let us know!
MORE FROM CBS NEW YORK
- Capitol Chaos: Anti-Semitic Apparel Worn During Riot Traced To Website Based In New York City
- Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Sites Open In Parts Of New York City Will Operate 24/7 Starting Monday
- High COVID-19 Positivity Rates In Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park And Corona Queens Have Officials Searching For Answers
