CDC: Some people should wait longer for 2nd COVID shot

Some people getting Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should consider waiting up to eight weeks between the first and second doses, instead of the three or four weeks previously recommended, U.S. health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday quietly changed its advice on spacing the shots.

CDC officials said they were reacting to research showing that the longer interval can provide more enduring protection against the coronavirus. Research suggests that 12- to 64-year-olds — especially males ages 12 to 39 — can benefit from the longer spacing, the CDC said.

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.