New research shows effectiveness of 2nd vaccine dose

CHARLOTTE — Coronavirus Task Force experts said Friday the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine is nearly 10 times more effective.

New research also suggests one dose could be highly effective at possibly expanding the time window until a second shot.

“I just have a better feeling about my protection,” said Sharon Martin, who got the vaccine.

Martin said she was hesitant from the start but was encouraged by her family.

[WANT TO WATCH ON OUR STREAMING APPS? CLICK HERE]

“A new baby joining the family in March, and my son’s wedding,” she said.

Martin got her shot at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“I read a lot,” Martin said. “I Googled a ton. When you’re going into something you’re afraid of, you really need to have the facts.”

The FDA stands firm that two doses offer recipients the most protection, according to clinical trials.

However, a recent study based in Israel indicates the Pfizer vaccine showed a strong response after one dose.

The research found that dose, which proved 85% effective, started around two weeks to within a month after participants got the shot.

[Race to Vaccinate: What to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in North Carolina]

“I think it’s real, and I think there is an opportunity here,” said professor Thomas Denny, Duke Human Vaccine Institute.

Denny is leading the Pfizer phase 3 trials at the institute.

“So if you can buy some coverage with one dose, then that will let us get a lot more people covered and then we can come back at this later if we need to and provide a second dose or a booster,” he said.

[Race to Vaccinate: What to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina]

Initially, Denny said he wasn’t excited by the shift in stance from the original trials.

Denny said his view is changing as teams continue to measure antibodies after each dose.

“What we know is that in about 10 days after that first dose, you have a level,” he said. “For most people, you have a level of antibodies that are protective.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci held a news conference on Friday about the new research.

“Although the numbers of a single dose do look interesting, the one thing we don’t know is how durable it is,” Fauci said. “And since it’s 10 times less than the optimal dose that you would get, you might actually theoretically be inducing more variants.”

Watauga County has enough COVID-19 vaccine for all school district employees

Cox Media Group