Why you need two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine

MINOT, N.D. – The coronavirus vaccine rollout has left people with a lot of questions before they get on board with taking it. Many are asking why they would need to get two doses of the vaccine instead of one.

Moderna and Pfizer both released COVID vaccines that require two separate shots.

According to the CDC and FDA, with the Pfizer vaccine, you can get the second dose three weeks after the first shot.

With the Moderna vaccine, you wait four weeks in between doses.

First District Health Unit’s nursing coordinator helps explain why the need for two shots.

“Your first dose gets you immune system to wake up and say, ‘What is this? This is something bad.’ And then the second dose makes it like, ‘Okay, now we know what this is. This is really bad. Let’s get rid of it.’ Just to get your immune system working and totally aware of not getting the virus in,” said FDHU Nursing Coordinator, Danell Eklund.

Both vaccines are what’s known as MRNA. Health officials do recommend getting the same vaccine for both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.