Your questions, answered "This is a vaccination question, concerning the half-vaccinated. I am one of them. I have had only one dose, for a number of reasons I had to forego the second. ... Do we start the protocol over if it's been more than 6 months, since it seems likely (according to the headlines) the vax is losing its effectiveness? Or do we get the booster?" — Maya in Vermont You're not alone here. Over the summer, about one in 10 eligible American adults had missed their second vaccine dose by six weeks or more. The vaccines that require two shots, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, appear to work best when the doses are administered three and four weeks apart, respectively. And the CDC says it's fine to wait as long as 42 days between shots. But sometimes life gets in the way. Maybe work or child care prevented you from making it to your follow-up appointment. Maybe you hesitated because the side effects from your first shot were unpleasant. Or maybe you just forgot. Whatever the case, if you missed your second dose, health experts recommend you get that shot as soon as possible — even if it's been months. You do not need to restart the vaccine series, according to CDC guidance, and you will still be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose. As for the booster question, you don't need to worry about that until six months after receiving your second dose, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. One dose of either of Pfizer or Moderna has been shown to be about 80 percent effective against symptomatic illness two weeks after the first dose. The number jumps past 90 percent after the second dose — if you get it within six weeks of your first. You'll still be protected if you get the shots farther apart than that, though scientists are still gathering data on effectiveness after that period. "Missing this window doesn't mean you've missed your only chance of getting your second dose. It also doesn't mean you need to start your vaccination plan over completely," Ashley Drews, medical director of infection prevention and control at Houston Methodist, said in a vaccine Q&A. "What we don't know is how effective either vaccine is when delayed beyond six weeks," she said, "but getting your second dose is still recommended and likely to be beneficial." One caveat: If you missed your second dose because of an allergic reaction, you should consult with your doctor. And if you had covid-19 and received a monoclonal antibody treatment, you should wait the recommended 90 days before getting another injection. That said, with infections rising going into the holiday season, now is an important time to complete your vaccination. The CDC recommends getting your second shot even if you had side effects from your first. These are usually mild and tend clear up in a few days. When scheduling your second dose, make sure to get the same brand of vaccine that you got the first time around, the CDC advises. Most major pharmacies will email or text you a reminder about your appointment. But you might also consider setting a calendar alert just in case you forget, or arranging for a friend or family member to take you. If your appointment is during your workday, make sure you let your employer know as early as possible. The Biden administration has called on companies with more than 100 employees to give workers time off to get vaccinated and, if necessary, recover from any side effects. And don't forget to bring your vaccination card. | 
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