Nearly 50,000 people in Florida who received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine are in arrears for their second one.
The two vaccines approved for authorization for emergency use in the United States – Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna – each require a shot of three to four weeks apart.
According to Florida’s Department of Health, about 1.03 million people received at least one shot and more than 93,000 are back for their second sting.
However, a total of 45,056 missed their shot – a figure that has risen by 10 per cent over the past three days, according to data from the health department.
Some health experts believe that the elderly are delayed after the second appointment because they fear serious side effects such as fever, headache and chills.
There is currently no national database that locates people who are in arrears with their second shot, and Florida is the first state to disclose this issue.
Of the 1.03 million people in Florida who received at least one shot of coronavirus vaccine, 45,056 are in arrears for their second dose. Pictured: A medical worker administers a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Kathy Veltman at a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds in Plant City, Florida, January 13
The Florida Department of Health has refused to answer questions about whether officials are concerned and reasons why people missed their second sting
Dr. Jason Salemi, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida at Tampa, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that it’s unclear what it means for people to miss their shots, without knowing why they are in arrears.
He said it could be a number of factors, including people not knowing when to get their second chance, or even a delay in reporting.
“Without knowing the ‘why’ here, it’s challenging to know if it should be worrying,” Salemi said.
‘At the moment I’m not worried, but if the number continues to grow … or the reasons for missing the second dose relate (eg no doses available, people who can not make their appointments on time), then I will brainstorm effective solutions.
However, some experts believe that they expected such a situation to occur.
“I heard there are some seniors who do not want the second shot because they have heard that the side effects are worse with the second shot,” Todd Husty, medical director of Seminole County, told WESH 2 .
Clinical trial data have shown that many volunteers receiving the second dose experience worse side effects such as fever, headache, fatigue, chills and shortness of breath.
According to officials, this is a sign that the vaccine is working and that the immune system is getting a response.
Husty told WESH 2 that the best solution is to inform the general public that the virus itself is much worse than the side effects and that symptoms such as headaches or fever can be relieved with Tylenol.
Jason Mahon, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health, told the Sun Sentinel that 80 percent of the people who received their second dose received it.
Health experts say some elderly people may be worried about the side effects of the second dose, which is known to be stronger than the first. Pictured: Residents of the palace assistance facility in Coral Gables, Florida, waiting in line to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, January 12
In a statement on Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis called for Floridians to be vaccinated not to give up their second shot.
However, he did not answer questions about why people are in arrears or if there are government officials.
The state Department of Health did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Dr. Joshia Lenchus, chief medical officer at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, told the Sun Sentinel the two doses are space to give the body time to get an immune response while reducing side effects.
Pfizer’s boost shot is given 21 days after the initial shot, while the Moderna vaccine is given after 28 days.
Lenchus said there is a four-day window in which it is ideal to distribute the second recording, but he recommends getting it still outside the window.
“I would suggest still getting it,” he told the Sun Sentinel.
“I will not walk around with one shot and feel protected.”
In a statement released to Twitter on Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Floridians to get their second dose.
“Although there is talk at federal level about how to distribute vaccine doses and whether booster shots should be ‘held back,’ Florida is committed to the two-dose regimen for both Pfizer and Modern vaccines,” he wrote.
‘One dose seems to provide some protection, but it has only been shown that 95 percent efficacy is achieved by taking the booster survey.
‘This means that although the mode of distribution may change, the necessity of the booster shot will not be. Florida wants all seniors to shoot up at the right time. ‘