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Comment by ip_addr | Hacker News Reader

Is it practical to ask people to wait 8 weeks? Will people be significantly less likely to show up to the second appointment after 8 weeks instead of 3 weeks?

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In the UK the minimum wait is 8 weeks and there doesn't appear to be an issue with people failing to get 2nd doses.

Until a few weeks ago the minimum wait was 12 weeks! Data on rates here: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations

Looking at just the Cumulative data, ~79% of people in the UK that have taken the first dose have taken the second dose. Looks like it is practical. And that number doesn't account for people that haven't had their second appointment yet.

I had my second dose in the UK after 5 weeks, by just going to a walk in centre and asking - apparently they had way too many doses they would be wasted otherwise, so they were happy to give it to anyone asking. Apparently the absolute NHS-mandated minimum is 3 weeks between doses, that's the one they can't disobey. But the 8 week minimum is much more flexible.

The wait period in British Columbia is about 7 weeks, and our #2 dose numbers look just as good as #1 (80% first dose, and 58% second dose, still averaging 60k doses a day)

The main risk I'd be worried about that people will engage in more risky behavior after the first but before the second dose.

It's a lot easier to hold out and skip some fun activities if there's a goal 4 (or rather 6) weeks ahead than if it's 8 (or rather 10) weeks.

That's about what it has been the whole time in my region and there's no sign of a problem yet.

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