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Feature The BMJ Interview

How the Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine was made

BMJ 2021; 372 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n86 (Published 12 January 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;372:n86

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Rapid Response:

Gap between first and second doses of Covid vaccines

Dear Editor,

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA Council chair, was on national news today (23.01.21) saying that the gap between first and second doses of Pfizer Covid vaccine should be halved from 12 weeks to 6 weeks.

I suspect he has not read the BMJ interview article (BMJ 23rd January) with Andrew Pollard, leader of clinical trials of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. Answering a question about dose interval, Professor Pollard says that a longer dose interval seems to provide a better immune response because the immune system has been given time to mature. He is referring to vaccines in general, not just the Oxford one.

Competing interests: No competing interests

23 January 2021
Sheila Jackson
GP
Barnoldswick Medical Centre