What Happens If You Delay Second Dose of Vaccination?

In its simplest definition, vaccination intends to trigger the immune response to detect and fight against the disease-causing germs entering the body. Similarly, the COVID-19 vaccine teaches the body to identify the coronavirus. So, when you get the vaccine, your immune system creates antibodies which are fighter cells. These antibodies remain in your blood and protect you in case the virus enters your body. With the vaccine, you are protected against illness without the need to become sick.

When enough individuals get the COVID-19 vaccine, the community is better equipped to fight against the coronavirus. This, in turn, would help curb the spread of the virus and get closer to putting an end to the pandemic.

Two biotech companies developed the COVID-19 vaccination in India. The Serum Institute of India (SII) labelled Covishield, and Bharat Biotech released Covaxin. Since the development of the vaccine, the Health Ministry of India initiated possibly the largest vaccination drive globally to minimise the threat of the COVID-19 virus.

To gain immunity against COVID-19, an individual must get two shots of the vaccine. Covaxin’s second dose can be taken 28 days following the first shot, whereas Covishield 2nd dose timing is 84 days after the first vaccine.

Comparatively, the Covishield second dose time is longer. Now that we know the answer to covid vaccine 2nd dose after how many days’ wait is appropriate let’s understand the common reasons for the delay.

Right from the shortage of vaccines to busy schedules, individuals were worried about missing the second jab and its repercussions.

There are several reasons why an individual may be compelled to reschedule their Covishield second dose, right from the unavailability of the vaccine to prior personal commitments. Let’s take a look at the common reasons why Covishield 2nd dose timing can be delayed:

• Health-Related Complications

Certain complications and health concerns can keep an individual from following the Covishield second dose time. Typically, doctors recommend that if you have contracted the COVID-19 virus over the last two months or are displaying symptoms of the illness, then you should delay your second jab.

• Pregnancy

If you get pregnant after the first dose of your COVID-19 vaccine, you will likely be advised to wait before getting the second dose. Initially, there was little information about how the vaccine would affect the expecting mother's body and its subsequent impact on the foetus. Therefore, during pregnancy, to-be mothers must speak to their obstetrician-gynaecologist before getting the second dose of their vaccine.

• Vaccine Unavailability

One of the most common reasons for Indians missing the second dose of their vaccine is the unavailability of the vaccine. While the government directed continued efforts at ramping up and prioritising the second vaccine dose for the beneficiaries, our large population means that the vaccine supply could be inadequate.

• The Lockdown

Unfortunately, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was detrimental to many – further iterating the importance of comprehensive Mediclaim insurance with COVID-19 coverage. However, while health insurance can help with the treatment, the lockdown was a preventative measure to limit the damage. And so the government’s immediate reaction to control its spread was to impose a nationwide strict lockdown. This necessary restriction on movement could have hindered several individuals from getting the second dose of the vaccine.

The aforementioned reasons played the most dominant role in keeping people from taking the second dose of the vaccine. However, although comprehensive Mediclaim insurance can help you get the best treatment, it was strongly recommended not to delay the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to build immunity against it.

There is a reason why a specified time frame is given between the vaccine doses. Getting both vaccine doses on time is your best chance at protecting yourself from the illness. According to healthcare professionals, the first dose of the vaccine is only intended for “priming.” With the first dose, an individual only gets partial immunity. It is only with the second dose of the vaccine that one gains complete immunity. It is, therefore, essential to not only prioritise your second dose but also get the jab in the stipulated time frame for optimal effect.

If, for some reason, you have missed the appointment for the second dose of your vaccine, you must visit the CoWIN app and reschedule your appointment as soon as possible.

Observing how the coronavirus shook the healthcare industry, every individual must take the vaccine doses on time. And they should also invest in health insurance. The health insurance by Tata AIG comes with COVID-19 coverage to take care of all healthcare expenses, right from treatment to hospitalisation and everything in between. At a time when medical expenses have been soaring, mediclaim insurance is your financial safety net. That is why you must carefully choose your cover after adequately analysing your healthcare needs. For an informed insurance purchase, compare different policies and use the health insurance premium calculator to determine the premium payable on your health insurance policy.