Here’s how long you can wait for a second dose of Covid-19 vaccine if winter storms are delaying it

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This can be concerning for people who were scheduled to receive their second dose of two-dose Covid-19 vaccine, which is expected to have a second inoculation three or four weeks after the first.

But if you are one of those people, there is good news.

So if your appointment for a second dose has been delayed or canceled due to winter weather, there should still be time to get your full vaccine.

Here's how extreme weather conditions are affecting Covid-19 vaccinations in these states

The two vaccines on the US market – developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna – require two doses to achieve about 95% effectiveness, and the second doses were intended to be administered 21 days and 28 days after the first, respectively.

The CDC’s website says the agency still recommends that the second dose be given “as close to the recommended interval as possible.”

“However, if it is not possible to meet the recommended interval and a delay in vaccination is inevitable,” the website says, “the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be given up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose. ”

The CDC is clear that patients should not receive the second dose earlier than recommended, and data on vaccine effectiveness is still limited if the second inoculation takes place beyond the six-week window.

At an event last month, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla stressed the importance of getting his company’s second dose of vaccine on time. But he doesn’t think “giving a week or two later is a very big deal.”

“You need to make sure you give the second doses because studies recommend the vaccine to work, which is three weeks away,” Bourla said at an event hosted by Bloomberg Media. “In our study, we actually had 19 to 42 (days). In this context, I’m fine. Beyond that, it’s serious.”

States see delayed vaccine shipments

The freezing weather crippled large swathes of the country and posed problems for shipments of vaccines allocated in first and second doses.

Health officials in places like Dallas County, Texas say they recognize the need for a second dose in a timely manner.

“We understand the urgency of administering second doses of the vaccine, but we also need to balance personal safety,” the county said in a press release this week. “As soon as we can safely reopen, we will.”

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In Miami-Dade County, Florida, officials said this week that about 2,000 people would not receive their scheduled second dose of the vaccine due to weather-related supply delays. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told CNN that the second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine that were due to be administered on Thursday had not arrived. All those concerned have been informed, according to the spokesperson.

Some health officials have indicated they would prioritize postponing appointments for the second dose in the future. A press release issued this week by the Alabama Department of Public Health said officials would “ensure that people can get their second dose in the next two weeks,” an effort that would include “hours. extended in the clinic when staff availability allows “.

In Nevada, the Southern Nevada Health District said in a statement Wednesday that it should postpone by one week people who had appointments for a second dose of Moderna vaccine (appointments for the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were proceeding as planned). About 4,000 people have been contacted by the authorities to postpone their date. In addition, the health district said it will only administer second doses next week.

Shipping companies like UPS and FedEx told CNN they were working to make sure vaccines were delivered. FedEx said vaccine deliveries were a priority, but “prolonged inclement weather continues to affect much of the FedEx network.”

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