(Reuters) – US public health officials have said a second COVID-19 shot could be fired for up to six weeks from the first in situations where it was not possible to get a booster dose immediately.
In most cases, the recommended dose interval of three weeks for the Pfizer Inc vaccine and four weeks for the Moderna Inc vaccine should be followed, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday in its guidance.
“The situation is sometimes emphasized where it is very difficult to be exactly on time”, said dr. Anthony Fauci, an expert on the infectious disease, told CNN on Friday.
“I do not see a major problem with that (six-week recommendation) if the situation on the ground means the tension is such that you can not do exactly 28 days or 21 days,” Fauci added.
Moderna said there was no data to provide an informed perspective on the CDC’s recommendation, while Pfizer did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Britain has started saving doses of the vaccines by up to twelve weeks, despite little information, and says the move could help more people get initial protection.
(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru, Additional Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington; Edited by Anil D’Silva)