CDC now suggesting longer wait between vaccine doses

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. health officials say some people getting Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should consider waiting up to eight weeks between the first and second doses.

That’s instead of the three or four weeks previously recommended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly changed its advice on Tuesday. The CDC is reacting to research showing that a longer interval can provide more enduring protection against the coronavirus.

They also say the longer wait may help diminish an already rare vaccination side effect: a form of heart inflammation seen in some young men. The suggestion doesn’t apply to those under 12 years old or over 65.