The Second Dose: Why Bother?

By Steven Bill, Coordinator of Communications and New Media and Laura Dennis, Manager of Vaccine Preventable Disease, Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Let’s be real: we’ve been really fortunate that our case numbers have been lower lately than they were in the third wave of this pandemic. One of the main reasons for that, according to our infectious disease experts and epidemiologists, is because we have had such a high uptake in vaccines. In fact, the TBDHU region has one of the highest in the entire province. Not too shabby.

That said, we’ve noticed some interesting data that has arisen over the past few months: while our rate of first doses has maintained a relatively consistent trend, our second dose completion rate has begun to slow down. In other words, some people went through with getting their first dose but for one reason or another have been less inclined toward getting the second. It’s hard to say exactly why this might be, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to reinforce the importance and necessity of getting that second dose.

Let’s begin by breaking out the science. There are two important types of white blood cells that work at combating the virus that causes COVID-19. The first are plasma B cells. When these cells first encounter the vaccine, they’re “educated” on how to make antibodies that can fight against the pathogen. The problem is that these cells are short-lived and within a few weeks, if there’s not a second dose, the antibodies they’ve been producing begin to experience a rapid decline. Next are the T cells, which identify a particular pathogen like COVID19. Their mission: seek and destroy. Although some of these T cells can linger in our bodies for years, we typically don’t have very many of them unless there is a second exposure to the pathogen. This happens when you get a second dose of the vaccine.

Let’s say the first dose is studying for the exam, while the second dose is the professor letting the class know it’s an open book test on the day of the test. Both contribute to your success, but that textbook really seals the deal on securing that A+. The first dose primes our immune system to recognize the virus and then the second dose comes along and boosts the immunity, further protecting us from becoming seriously ill and giving us protection (memory) longer term.

So that’s it. In a very real sense, you need to get the second dose if you want to optimize protection against the virus and continue with the current lower COVID case numbers in our region. Visit TBDHU. com/CovidClinics today to find out how and when you can get yours.