London (CNN) The UK's chief medical officers have defended a decision to delay second doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in order to prioritize first doses, saying it will protect as many vulnerable people as possible while the coronavirus is running rampant. "The second vaccine dose is likely to be very important for duration of protection, and at an appropriate dose interval may further increase vaccine efficacy," they said. US also considering spacing out jabsThe strategy of extending the interval between first and second vaccine doses is also "under consideration" in the United States, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said Thursday. Two vaccines have so far been approved for use in the US, the Pfizer/BioNTech shot and another made by Moderna, which requires a second dose 28 days later. Fauci said it could be debated either way, but a potential problem would be if a person didn't get the second dose in time and there was a lag period.

Source: CNN January 01, 2021 14:25 UTC