WHS to offer third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to immunocompromised
Washington Health System has received several inquiries since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced moderately to severely immunocompromised people are now eligible to receive a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
WHS is currently administering a third dose to WHS primary care physicians’ patients who qualify, and on Tuesday released a video to address the announcement.
Dr. John D. Six, WHS chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs, said those with moderate to severe immunosuppression qualify to receive an additional dose of messenger RNA vaccine – Pfizer or Moderna – usually because of an organ or stem cell transplant, HIV infection, steroid therapy, or certain cancer treatments that impair the body’s ability to fight infections.
“Some studies suggest people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems don’t mount the same level of immunity as those who are non-immunocompromised,” said Six. “Therefore, there may be some benefit to an additional dose of the vaccine to make sure they have protection against COVID-19 when the initial response to the immune system is likely to be insufficient.”
The additional vaccine should be taken at least 28 days after the completion of the initial vaccine series.
It’s recommended the additional dose be the same vaccine product as the two-dose series people received, but if it’s not available, the other vaccine product can be administered.
Six encouraged people to contact their primary care physician if they think they fall into one of the categories eligible for the additional vaccine.
WHS is not offering walk-in third shots, so patients need to call their PCP and schedule an appointment.
If the health care provider is not able to provide the vaccine on-site, a person will have to receive the additional dose at a location where the vaccine is being offered. To find a location, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/.
The CDC has not yet made any recommendations for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
For additional information, call WHS at 724-579-1100 or visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html.