Welcome to Episode 11 of “COVID: What comes next,” an exclusive weekly Providence Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK podcast featuring Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and an internationally respected expert on pandemic response

COVID: What comes next - With Dr. Ashish Jha

Welcome to Episode 11 of “COVID: What comes next,” an exclusive weekly Providence Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK podcast featuring Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and an internationally respected expert on pandemic response and preparedness.

Today, Dr. Jha reaffirms his recommendation that second doses of Pfizer- BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations be delayed so that more individuals can receive one dose and thereby acquire a degree of immunity to the disease, which is claiming record numbers of lives.

Jha first outlined his rationale in a co-written opinion piece in Sunday’s Washington Post. Today, he explains why he is adhering to a one-dose recommendation, despite the FDA’s restated guidance Monday night that people receive a second dose a few weeks after the first, as indicated by the pharmaceutical firms following clinical trials.

“By the end of December, we had more than 40 million doses of the two vaccines combined and we've given out about 5 million and that means about 35 million are sitting on shelves,” Jha says. “Part of that is we are saving more than 50%, more than 20 million doses -- holding back so we can make sure that we have a second dose for everybody. That's how the clinical trials were done, and it makes a lot of sense on some level to stick to the clinical trials.”

Two doses of the vaccines are required for maximum effectiveness, but a substantial degree of immunity is conferred with just one.

“Here's the problem,” Jha says. “We have virus raging across the country and I am deeply, deeply worried about this new variant that is now starting to pop up, this [British] variant that we've talked about. It is going to put a massive strain on our hospitals and a lot more people are going to die.”

Also in this episode, Dr. Jha answers two audience questions sent to the podcast:

-- “Considering the data that shows the potential for long-term inflammation resulting from contracting Covid-19, is it possible that the vaccine could pose the same risk?”

-- “Can people test positive for weeks, even months, but are definitely NOT spreading the virus?”

If you have a COVID-related question, please send to [e-mail] with “Question for Dr. Jha” in the subject field. Dr. Jha will get to as many questions as he can, but regrettably, given the volume, he cannot get to all. And please note Dr. Jha’s advice: Questions regarding one’s personal situation should be put to your healthcare provider.

This weekly podcast is hosted by G. Wayne Miller, health reporter for The Providence Journal.