• Published on: Sep 01, 2021
  • 3 minute read
  • By: Second Medic Expert

Why Do We Need Two Doses Of Vaccine?

  • WhatsApp share link icon
  • copy & share link icon
  • twitter share link icon
  • facebook share link icon

Why do we need two doses of vaccine?

Vaccination is a two-fold protective measure for preventing illness. The first dose alerts the immune system to the presence of a certain virus or bacterium, and it creates a cellular immunity of sorts. The second dose is required to alert the body's antibodies, which are typically slower acting but more powerful bodies of defenses. These antibodies present themselves naturally in our bodies after vaccination, forming what we know as "natural specific immunity." To get that natural specific immunity from your second vaccination shot, you will need both injections at least six weeks apart. Essentially then, getting vaccinated twice in quick succession has no effect on your ability to build up natural specific immunity because you'll already be protected by cellular-specific immunity when you receive your second one.

The second dose helps to reduce the incidence of infectious disease. A major reason for a second dose is "herd immunity," in which a high proportion of people within a population have been vaccinated to provide what is known as "community protection" against an infection's spread. This limits the number of individuals who might otherwise be vulnerable or susceptible to contracting and transmitting infection. For this reason, everyone needs to do their part in making sure their own vaccinations are up-to-date and take care does not infect others when they're around them with compromised immune systems--primarily infants too young to have ever been vaccinated or anyone who cannot get vaccines for medical reasons such as being immunosuppressed.

The second dose of the vaccine introduces a different version of the virus into your system to allow your body to develop an immunity because not all viruses are 100% susceptible to the first vaccine.

The effectiveness of vaccination does decline over time, so another injection can help prolong immunity for 5-6 years before it's necessary to vaccinate again. It may be because there are different versions or "strains" or versions of viruses that vaccines don't always work well on. Or there are definitions for "immunity" that are different from ours - whether you have antibodies in your blood doesn't always show true protection against an infection! Of course, we recommend asking a medical professional if you're really interested in this question.

Reason #1: Whether an individual had natural immunity previously. The first shot could wear off for some people, so the second dose ensures that there is protection long after the first dose has worn off.

Reason #2: Some children do not develop strong enough immunity when given just one vaccine dose or they received their vaccines too early in life and later required a booster shot so the best way to protect them is with two doses.

Third Medic Medical consultation online To improve chances of inducing protective immunity in unvaccinated groups during outbreaks, it may be advisable to administer two doses of vaccines to maximize coverage among these populations The cold virus mutates extremely rapidly, and your chances of contracting a mutated strain of cold virus from the vaccine are higher if you skipped the first round. The goal here is to vaccinate as many people as possible with a vaccine that is most likely going to protect them from infection. That’s because even if 50% of those vaccinated this year will not be protected from contracting the disease, that 50% who do end up not being able to contract it are still more protected than they would have been had there been no vaccination. If you argue that vaccines don't work, then you are arguing that children should go untreated for deadly diseases because populations can never get rid of all illnesses at once!

This is a two-fold concern. First, we're aiming to create immunity against the disease more rapidly and it appears that this isn't accurate if we only vaccinate once; we need to boost with two doses at least one month apart. Second, because there are limitations in the science behind vaccination, it's difficult to tell who will have the highest reaction or reaction frequency. So for absolute safety, most doctors recommend three doses at any point in life for those who've never been vaccinated before

Second dose of the vaccine is to confer "immunity." If you happen to be exposed to a virus or bacteria and recover, your body will remember and create antibodies for that specific infection. A second dose of the vaccine provides enough time for those immunities to build up.

If you take the first dose, and go out right afterward to play with friends--this could lead the immune system into mistakenly attacking your own tissues as if they were infected as well because it doesn't yet know not them as healthy tissue.

The first dose is more or less a "primer" and the second dose corresponds with the timing of the typical infectious disease infection. Estimating how long it takes for immunity to develop also depends on which vaccine is being administered. Different viruses elicit variable immune responses, which means that they need different types of vaccines to work best. It's been found, for instance, that most people who receive an influenza vaccination require two doses about four weeks apart to fight off the flu properly. In addition, live attenuated influenza vaccine spurs fewer immunological side effects because it contains weakened versions of elements from virus strains already circulating among humans – since those factors are weaker than their intact counterparts found in a regular flu shot or nasal spray.

The two-dose vaccine regimen is a tried and tested method showing excellent effectiveness.

Read Blog
Virtual Cooking Class with Dietitian: A New Era of Healthy Eating in India

Virtual Cooking Class with Dietitian: A New Era of Healthy Eating in India

Healthy eating has become a top priority for individuals across India. With rising lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and PCOS, food decisions now play a critical role in preventive healthcare. However, most people struggle with questions like what to cook, how to modify recipes, and how to balance nutrition with traditional Indian meals.

Virtual cooking classes with dietitians are transforming how Indians learn about food. They combine practical kitchen skills with scientific nutrition knowledge-something traditional cooking tutorials cannot offer. SecondMedic integrates expert dietitians, AI-driven nutrition analysis and preventive health frameworks to support individuals in building lifelong healthy eating habits.

This blog explores how virtual cooking classes work, why they matter and how they support long-term health.

 

Why India Needs Dietitian-Led Cooking Classes

Rising Lifestyle Diseases

The ICMR Nutrition and Metabolic Health Study reports alarming trends:

  • Over 100 million diabetic individuals

  • High prevalence of fatty liver

  • Vitamin deficiencies in large sections of the population

  • Increasing PCOS, thyroid disorders and obesity
     

Many of these conditions are strongly influenced by diet.

Lack of Nutrition Awareness

NFHS-5 highlights low dietary diversity among Indian households. People often overconsume oil, sugar and refined grains without realising the long-term impact.

Busy Lifestyles

Urban professionals struggle to plan meals due to:

  • Time constraints

  • Lack of structured nutrition knowledge

  • Dependence on takeaways and packaged food
     

Virtual cooking sessions solve these problems by offering guided, practical learning directly from home.

 

What Happens in a Virtual Cooking Class?

A SecondMedic virtual cooking class includes:

1. Live Demonstrations

Dietitians prepare recipes step-by-step while explaining:

  • Nutrient functions

  • Health benefits

  • Cooking techniques

  • Smart portion strategies
     

2. Ingredient Education

Participants learn about:

  • Low-GI alternatives

  • High-fibre grains

  • Clean protein sources

  • Anti-inflammatory spices

  • Healthy fats
     

3. Meal Planning Guidance

Classes often include weekly planning tips to simplify daily decisions.

4. Nutrient Breakdown

AI-based tools analyse the recipe’s:

  • Sugar load

  • Sodium balance

  • Protein density

  • Vitamin & mineral profile
     

5. Condition-Specific Variations

Recipes can be adapted for:

  • Diabetes

  • PCOS

  • Thyroid health

  • Heart health

  • Weight loss
     

This ensures suitability across lifestyles.

 

Benefits of Virtual Cooking Classes

1. Practical, Hands-On Learning

Participants cook alongside the dietitian, making learning interactive and easy to remember.

2. Prevention-Focused

Unlike regular cooking tutorials, these sessions emphasise preventive eating patterns recommended by WHO and NITI Aayog.

3. Customisable for Families

Healthy recipes become household-friendly, improving community nutrition.

4. Convenient and Accessible

Join from anywhere without travel or scheduling challenges.

5. Increases Long-Term Adherence

When people understand why a recipe is healthy, they adopt it more consistently.

 

Example Recipe Taught in Class

Vegetable Khichdi (Diabetes-Friendly Version):

  • Moong dal for high protein

  • Mixed vegetables for fibre

  • Minimal ghee

  • Brown rice/millet for lower GI

  • Turmeric + cumin for anti-inflammatory benefit
     

SecondMedic’s AI engine evaluates glycaemic impact and micronutrient density.

 

Integrating Virtual Cooking With Preventive Care

SecondMedic combines cooking classes with:

  • Teleconsultations

  • Diet assessments

  • AI nutrition scores

  • Weight and glucose monitoring

  • Lifestyle coaching
     

This creates a unified ecosystem for long-term behaviour change.

 

Conclusion

Virtual cooking classes with dietitians empower individuals to transform their daily meals into preventive healthcare tools. By teaching practical skills, nutrition fundamentals and personalised recipe adjustments, these classes make healthy eating accessible, enjoyable and sustainable.

SecondMedic is redefining preventive nutrition by blending expert guidance with digital interactivity and AI insights-helping people cook better, eat smarter and live healthier.

References

• ICMR Nutrition & Metabolic Health Study - Dietary Impact on Chronic Diseases
• National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
• NITI Aayog - Preventive Healthcare & Nutrition Strategy for India
• WHO Healthy Eating & Non-Communicable Disease Guidelines
• Lancet Public Health - Effectiveness of Lifestyle Interventions
• Statista India Digital Health & Online Learning Trends
• EY-FICCI Digital Nutrition & Virtual Wellness Report

See all

Live Doctor consultation
Live Doctor Chat

Download Our App & Get Consultation from anywhere.

App Download
call icon for mobile number calling and whatsapp at secondmedic