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But in the future, that could change, either by necessity or by design.
This idea of using two types of vaccines isn t a new concept. It s known as heterologous vaccination, although there s a more colloquial term. In the U.K. at the moment, we re sort of calling it mix and match, says Helen Fletcher, a professor of immunology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She says shortages of a vaccine or concerns about side effects may induce health officials to adopt a mix-and-match strategy.
Health agencies in France and Germany are already encouraging people who ve gotten the AstraZeneca vaccine to consider getting one of the mRNA vaccines for their second shot.