Fauci – Two-Shot Strategy

Angie SzumlinskiHealth

There has been a lot of debate over which vaccine is most effective, has fewer side effects, if you can mix the two different two-dose brands, etc. But more recently there has been active debate on whether a single dose of a two-dose vaccine is as effective as the full two doses. In the Washington Post newspaper, Dr. Fauci is quoted as saying “there’s risks on either side,” explaining, “we’re telling people (two shots) is what you should do and then we say ‘oops, we changed our mind?’ I think that would be a messaging challenge to say the least.”

Fauci went on to say that science does not support delaying a second dose for those vaccines, citing research that a two-shot regimen creates enough protection to help fend off variants of the coronavirus that are more transmissible, whereas a single shot could leave Americans at risk from variants such as the one first detected in South Africa.

At the end of the day, Dr. Fauci is encouraging Americans to accept any of the three available COVID-19 vaccines, including the newly approved Johnson & Johnson shot. COVID has claimed more than half a million lives in the United States, and states are clamoring for more doses to stem cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Stay the course, stay well, mask up, get vaccinated, and stay tuned!