Second AZ dose now (9 weeks) or wait until 12 weeks?

[DriverOrDiver]

I am 40, not otherwise high risk.

Had booked my second AZ as close as I could to 12 weeks, on the basis of reading that the efficacy of the AZ jab was improved at interval of 12+ weeks.

But I live in Greater Manchester and cases are obviously ticking up. There’s a walk in vaccination this week where I could go and get a second dose. And protection against the Delta variant is obviously much better after the second dose, although I don’t know whether this is affected by dosing intervals etc.

I suppose this comes down to not having a crystal ball, I.e. whether I think I might catch covid in the next 3 weeks.

But if anyone has had this dilemma and crunched some numbers I’d be grateful for input.

Just my personal (not medical) view.
I'd go for it asap if living in a higher risk area. Particularly if you have school age children and/or work in a public facing role.

It's not just about hospitalisation or death. You need to bear in mind the risks of Long Covid, and remember it takes time (several weeks) to build immunity after the jabs.

But that's just what I would do. It's obviously your choice.

I live in a (very) low incidence area so opted not to bring my second dose forward - it's now this week. If I lived in a high risk area I'd definitely have had it sooner, less from a personal than a public health perspective - you are highly unlikely to get dangerously ill after one dose of vaccine, but perhaps rather more likely to get it asymptomatically or mildly and risk passing it on.

I do have kids in school/nursery and an occasional public facing role. Only once or twice a month and I can socially distance to some extent but cannot wear a mask throughout.

Long Covid has always been the risk I’m concerned with - I know my risk of ending up on a ventilator is pretty low but as a “busy working mum” (apols for the cliche) who is self employed the fear of being laid up for months is real.

I had mine at 9 weeks. 8 to 12 weeks is recommended.

In your situation I’d probably get it sooner. I could move mine forward too I think but we are currently in an area with low cases. I’m almost at the 8 week mark now and have another 3 weeks to go. We do, however, live quite close to one of the areas where they have been doing surge testing for the Delta variant. So it is a tricky balance.

I think from 8 weeks onwards is within the optimal time. I looked into this recently but can’t find the links now - as I recall the increase in antibodies isn’t so pronounced once post 8 weeks and is outweighed by the risk of catching covid partic in a high risk area ( and given the Delta variant).

I'm in a low risk area and I'm going to wait, I'm keeping an eye on cases locally though and if they start to increase I'll try to bring it forward.

@Ilovecrumpets

I think from 8 weeks onwards is within the optimal time. I looked into this recently but can’t find the links now - as I recall the increase in antibodies isn’t so pronounced once post 8 weeks and is outweighed by the risk of catching covid partic in a high risk area ( and given the Delta variant).

Thanks - I knew 12 weeks was substantially better than 6 weeks but couldn’t find much on the in between. I think I’m leaning towards getting it earlier. Highly possible it will make its way around the schools here at some point in the next few weeks and I’ll be kicking myself if the kids bring it home.

I had mine at 9 weeks. As I am group 6 and in a Sec school my gp advised to have it earlier even before the Gov changed advise from 12 to 8 weeks.

Personally, I would get it sooner rather than later in your situation.

Well I went for the early jab in the end… and one of my DC has already been sent home from school to self isolate. Bubbles popping all over the place. Feel vindicated in my decision at least!

Good for you! I had mine on Tuesday and feel hugely relieved.

Good move OP! I've just brought mine forward to 8 weeks after initially wanting to wait 12. I live near a town badly hit by the Delta variant so it's only a matter of time before it spreads here.

I too brought mine forward - a couple of weeks ago our numbers didn't look too bad but delta increases of over 200% on rolling 7 day average. We started from a very low base but I decided any negligible downside in not waiting till 11 weeks (when I was booked in for) would be off set by being fully vaccinated 2 weeks after an 8 week 2nd dose just as I expect our cases to go even higher...