Vaccines one and ... two.

All the vaccines against covid-19 used in Sweden must be taken in two rounds, with a certain interval in between.

This has in some places caused problems.

Especially in Stockholm, where the second dose is to be booked after an SMS reminder, but where the residents testify about missing text messages and problems to book via the app when the text message has arrived, something that causes stress and anxiety.

- You get nervous about not having time before the interval expires.

We have been isolated for over a year, should we be treated like this?

Björn Sundström, 74, asks himself when Aftonbladet talks to him.

In Sweden, vaccines from the companies Moderna, Pfizer-Biontech and Astra Zeneca are used.

The first two are so-called mRNA vaccines and for them a recommended interval of six weeks applies between the first and second dose, while you can wait nine to twelve weeks before taking the second dose of Astra Zeneca vaccine, which is a so-called viral vector vaccine.

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be turned on to play video

Read more about browser support

The browser is not supported

SVT does not support playback in your browser.

We therefore recommend that you switch to another browser.

Read more about browser support

What can I do if I am vaccinated?

- The expert explains

"Not carved in stone"

But.

According to Elda Sparrelid, chief physician in the Stockholm Region, there is no danger on the roof of postponing the second dose slightly.

The first dose, she says, is the most important.

It is the one that protects against serious illness and hospitalization, while the second dose helps to consolidate the immune response, so that it lasts over time.

- However, these times are not carved in stone and it is not dangerous to wait any longer, she says.

TT: But how long can you wait?

In a press release, you talk about it not being dangerous to wait an extra week, but what happens if there are two or three?

- Our goal is to keep the times.

There have been no studies for longer time intervals for Pfizers or Moderna vaccines before they were approved, so I do not really want to comment on them, but for all other vaccines it does not matter if you wait any longer with the second dose.

Purely immunologically, it would be strange if the same thing did not apply to Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines.

Stronger answers

A new study shows that it can even be an advantage to postpone dose two slightly.

At least when it comes to Pfizer-Biontech's vaccine.

In that case, the immune response will be even better.

In the unpublished study, conducted by Public Helath England, the immune response was analyzed in 175 people aged 80 years or older who received their second dose of Pfizer-Biontech vaccine 11–12 twelve weeks after their first dose.

It turned out that these individuals received an average 3.5 times better immune response, compared to a group that received their second dose after only three weeks.

Elda Sparrelid is not surprised.

- I have not read this particular study, but in general it is good to wait so that the body has time to respond to the first dose properly before giving the second dose.

Then the answer usually gets better.

Of course, I know that people want to be fully vaccinated, but waiting for something is not dangerous, she says.