Anyone who’s moderately to severely immunocompromised can now receive a third dose of Pfizer or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine from the Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County Health Departments.
The health department announced last week that it will administer the third shots to vulnerable people. Its decision comes after the CDC recommended that immunocompromised individuals receive an additional dose of Pfizer or Moderna at least 28 days after their second dose.
The recommendation only applies to mRNA vaccines and does not include individuals who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Here are the criteria that makes someone eligible for a third dose:
- Receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge or Wiskott-Aldirch syndromes)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress immune response
According to the health department, patients will not need to provide proof they meet the criteria to receive a third dose, but they will need to sign an attestation form indicating they’re moderately or severely immunocompromised.
For most people, the CDC says the COVID-19 vaccines keep people out of hospitals and alive. But research indicates two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines didn’t result in an adequate immune response for some whose immune systems are suppressed by medications such as steroids or cancer drugs.
The third doses will be given to walk-in patients, but the health department encourages patients to schedule appointments at https://gta-vras.powerappsportals.us/en-US/. The department will offer the doses at its mass vaccination site in the former seats at Gwinnett Place Mall, as well as its health centers in Lawrenceville, Norcross, Covington and Conyers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, which the local health department expects might convince some hesitant members of the public to get the shot, said Chad Wasdin, communications director of Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County Health Departments.
The department currently administers anywhere from 120-150 doses during weekdays and 400-500 doses on weekends, Wasdin said.
The department recommends that people should go ahead and receive their first vaccine dose if they haven’t already, Wasdin said. He said the future rollout of booster shots could cause the department to revert to appointment-only doses if demand spikes.
For those fully vaccinated who do not have compromised immune systems, the Biden administration is planning to start offering booster shots for all Americans who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in late September, to be administered 8 months after an individual’s second dose.
As of August 20, 48% of Gwinnett County residents were fully vaccinated, according to the state health department’s vaccine dashboard. The department reports 54% of the county’s residents have received at least one dose.
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