How many weeks between your two vaccine doses?

[Septaprilmummy]

Sorry I know there have been countless threads about the vaccine already but I haven't seen one about this yet.

Had my first vaccine at 28 weeks and my next one isn't until 36 weeks. I keep getting texts from the NHS about walk in clinics. I'd love to get my second dose sooner especially as cases are rising and DH is back at work, but as I'm pregnant I'm wary about messing with the system as they usually say to wait 8 weeks for maximun efficacy.

If you are pregnant, what is the soonest you received your second dose after the first one?

I’ll be having mine 8 weeks after my first (got my second on Thursday). However, the Pfizer vaccine was administered to pregnant women in the US from December when they were classed as vulnerable. All the data to show it’s safe in pregnancy are using the data from the US women. Women there were given their second vaccine 3-4 weeks after their first. So you won’t be introducing it to your system quicker than you should be, or quicker than it’s been trialed. From what I’ve seen there is debate about which has higher efficacy - the original vaccination gap or the extended one offered by the UK but there seems to be research to suggest to both at the moment.

I would contact your GP and see if you can get an earlier appointment. You might be able to go to a walk in 3-4 weeks after your first jab and explain that you’re pregnant and see if they’ll do it then. Keep checking regularly on the vaccination system too. I’ve had 3 different appointments booked for my second and cancelled two as an earlier appointment became available.

I had mine 4 weeks apart. At 29 and 33 weeks. Both booked through my GP and both in agreement with my consultant.

The only big advantage of going through the GP was that I didn't have to queue.

I'll be getting mine 8 weeks apart. I've been desperately trying to get it sooner (in the UK) but nobody would let me. I tried my GP & walk in clinic. I'm almost at the 8 weeks and just want to get it now.

Thank you! I've been trying to rebook earlier through the system this whole time but there seems to be no earlier appointment available where I am, so I thought the walk in clinic would be a good option. Interesting @choccrumpet that they wouldn't let you, is that because you're pregnant? Looks like I'll have to wait then ;( it's another 5 weeks for me...

Mine will be 8 weeks. However, when I first booked it was 12 weeks, which meant my second dose was at 39 weeks pregnant. I rang 119 and they agreed to cancel the appointment and book it earlier to make it a bit less touch and go with my due date!
They then recommended earlier, so I could cancel and rebook for 8 weeks. Depending which way you booked it, it might be worth speaking to 119 or your GP and seeing if you can move it?

I got mine 3 weeks after my first in the uk. Wanted it as soon as possible as I didn’t get my first until 3rd trimester x

The system won’t let you book earlier. I called the NHS hotline and they wouldn’t let me book earlier and then tried my GP who said they had no influence. I created another thread about this and some people said try contacting your midwife.

What I ended up doing was using the Reddit daily #getjabbed thread where people comment on places who are giving out vaccine prior to 8 weeks. I tried 3 walk in clinic and eventually was able to get jabbed with some left over vaccine at 6pm that they would otherwise throw out at 6.5 weeks. Pfizer is easier to get than Moderna. Hence it is possible but takes some effort. One thing I’d note is that if a walk in clinic refuses you, they are just enforcing NHS policy so don’t get mad.

I personally think it’s a policy oversight that pregnant women are not considered vulnerable enough to get expedited jabs!

I managed to get my 2nd dose (Pfizer) after 4 weeks by going to a walk-in centre and booking there directly. If I’d had to wait until my scheduled appointment, going by the NHS website, I would have had my 2nd dose three days before my due date and my midwife said that this was not a good idea as some people suffer with flu-like symptoms afterwards. Didn’t want to be going through labour with that!

@Septaprilmummy no it's because the UK decided that they're not allowing anyone to get the second dose before 8 weeks. The posters here who mentioned they got theirs earlier got very lucky or their area / clinics are doing their own thing. I actually read an article that places that give it earlier than 8 weeks are being told off, how true that is I don't know. So it probably comes down to whoever you speak to when booking / on the day and whether they allow you to get it earlier or not! Unfortunately I haven't been lucky but only have a few weeks left now.

4 weeks apart between Pfizer doses. First one at 31 weeks, second one via walk in centre at 35 weeks

I didn’t mention that I got my second dose at 3 weeks because I went in to a walk in centre and asked to speak to the dr there. They were happy to give it to me as they saw pregnancy as a medical vulnerability. I could have potentially been lucky c

I managed to get my second Pfizer 6.5 weeks after my first. I went to a walk in. They've since changed the rules and won't do any under 8 weeks 🙄

I had my first at nearly 24 weeks and having my second today at just over 31 weeks. So just under 8 weeks between the 2. Id have had it sooner if I could have got booked in anywhere. The only walk in clinics local to me were for first vaccinations only.

I had my first before I became pregnant, and my second when I was 16 weeks pregnant. So they were 21 weeks apart. The nurse administering the second jab didn't bat an eyelid.

Thank you for the feedback, it sounds like it is a bit more of a strict rule than I thought and I'd need to get very lucky. Urgh, was also hoping to have it sooner so I could see my family for the first time in 18 months (abroad) and without the double vaccination it's a non-starter :(

The earliest is 4 weeks. Bit most Are not licensed for before 8 weeks m. It's just a matter of going round all the walk on centres and seeing who will do you.

I had the first at a big centre, sent a message to my GP saying could / should I have the 2nd sooner and they called back the next day with an appointment right away. So I had a 5 week gap. I think the doctor also told me that was an excellent gap to have for efficacy. Definitely worth trying and seeing what you get.

3 weeks apart, Pfizer, but not in the UK.