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To meet the shortage, the government said it would consider increasing the interval between Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and lowering the age at which AstraZeneca vaccines can be received.



If this is the case, then, whether there is any problem in the effectiveness of the vaccine, and whether collective immunity is possible in November this year, which the government has been aiming for, medical reporter Cho Dong-chan pointed out.



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Health authorities are of the view that it is okay to increase the interval between the first and second doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to six weeks.



[Jeong Eun-kyung/Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Even in the WHO (World Health Organization), when the vaccination rate for high-risk groups is low and supply is difficult, the vaccination interval should be adjusted within 12 weeks.] This



is a paper based on the World Health Organization. , not yet peer-validated.



A British research team extended the Pfizer vaccination interval to an average of 10 weeks and analyzed the effectiveness.



There were fewer immune cells fighting the virus than the three weeks between the initial inoculation interval, but more neutralizing antibodies were produced, and there were enough neutralizing antibodies to block the delta mutation.



[Ki-Jong Hong / Editor-in-Chief of the Korean Vaccine Society: It is unlikely that there will be a big difference in the effect (2nd vaccination) with that level (2 weeks), breakthrough infection, or other cause of concern.]



However, neutralization caused by the 1st vaccination Antibodies dropped sharply after 4 weeks of inoculation.



From this point onward, you can be vulnerable to infection up to 6 weeks after the second dose.



This is especially true in Korea, where the delta mutation, which is highly infectious, leads the fourth wave.



For this reason, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends keeping the original dose interval as much as possible.



If the vaccine supply becomes smooth, it is better to return the interval between vaccinations.



Health officials are also considering giving younger people the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently only given to people over 50.



[Jeongeungyeong / Disease Management Commissioner: AstraZeneca vaccine (can be changed) depending on the demand and supply situation and epidemic situation of the vaccine because I have allowed more than the permitted range of 18]



recently very rare AstraZeneca vaccines in medical journal The Lancet A study has found that thrombosis does not exceed the natural incidence at any age.



The period of herd immunity, when 70% of the population completes the second vaccination, is likely to be delayed by the extended vaccination interval.



However, the delay period can be minimized if the introduction of moderna vaccines is quickly normalized to increase the speed of the first inoculation and return the inoculation interval to the original state.



(Video coverage: Chan-soo Lee, video editing: So Ji-hye, CG: Lee Jong-jeong, Jo Su-in, Park Dong-soo)