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Is just the first coronavirus dose enough to protect you

Anonymous #1

If you’ve only had the first dose, does that protect you even a tiny bit?

Reply 1

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Anonymous

If you’ve only had the first dose, does that protect you even a tiny bit?

Yes, but it is not as long lasting without the second dose.

Source: NHS

“The 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should give you good protection from COVID-19 from 3 or 4 weeks after you've had it.

But you need to have the 2 doses of the vaccine to give you longer lasting protection.”

Reply 2

Anonymous #2

u need both for you to be fully protected and safe. The first dose is only around 30-40% effective

Reply 3

Scotney

Depends on which one you have taken. Pfizer gives you good protection for 3-4 weeks about 80% but then immunity starts to wane so you need 2nd jab. Astra Zeneca gives you protection after 3weeks peaking at 65% but you need second dose at 12weeks.

Reply 4

chlamydia9000

From what I remember after the first dose antibody response peaks at 5-6 weeks, then begins decreasing. You will have longer lasting T-cells though, so yeah some protection.

Saying that - when the headlines say 'AZ/Pfizer vaccine reduces infections/deaths by X% after first dose, in real world study' - the vaccine rollout happened to coincide with a prolonged lockdown, and the reduction in infections/deaths that have resulted from that. I'm not sure how they're untangling that.

Reply 5

nexttime

Original post by 4Skin

Saying that - when the headlines say 'AZ/Pfizer vaccine reduces infections/deaths by X% after first dose, in real world study' - the vaccine rollout happened to coincide with a prolonged lockdown, and the reduction in infections/deaths that have resulted from that. I'm not sure how they're untangling that.

By comparing to people who aren't vaccinated. When they say 'protects by 80%' they will have two groups under observation, one vaccinated one not, and the vaccinated groups would have got 80% less positive swabs (most commonly - they could also look at all-cause hospitalisation or death, but that takes a bigger or longer study as those things are rarer).

Reply 6

PilgrimOfTruth

Original post by Anonymous

Is just the first coronavirus dose enough to protect you?

It depends whether you've previously had Covid or not.

If you've had Covid already and thus gained natural immunity going forward then I personally can't see any reason whatsoever for getting vaccinated. You body has already been taught how to recognise the virus at that point and there is no better teacher than the virus itself, imo.

Scientists likely fearing repercussions if they don't tow the party line have gone this far in stating how things are:

Naturally Immune People Don't Need 2 Vaccine Shots

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mishagajewski/2021/03/10/people-who-already-had-covid-19-might-not-need-the-second-dose-of-vaccine-study-finds/

If you haven't previously had Covid, and you're intent on getting vaxxed, then really you need both shots unless you opt for one of the one-shot vaccines.