Information About Boosters

This is published on August 14 and may be superseded by later information

This is to let you know the latest and is not medical advice — think of it more like a news bulletin. Always check with your health provider if you have any concerns or special issues.

Yesterday, the CDC announced that a third shot, you can think of it as a booster, was appropriate for immunocompromised people. These are the conditions they consider under “immunocompromised”

people who have:

*Been 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 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

*Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

*Advanced or untreated HIV infection

*Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

People should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

When you go to the place you choose for the third shot, you’ll need to tell the person signing you in why you qualify. You do not need to provide any medical record or physician note.

I am stunned that “primary immunodeficiency” made the list! Hooray!

If you had a J&J vaccine, the CDC and FDA need to collect more data about the safety of a second shot. For Pfizer and Moderna, third shot is safe. The CDC recommends that you ask for the same injection as your original 2, but if it is not available, it is fine to take the other mRNA shot. So, if your first 2 were Pfizer, ask for Pfizer, but take Moderna if there is no Pfizer available (and vice-versa).

Most physician’s offices do not have the storage space, and are not giving the volume of shots per day (the vaccines come in multi=dose vials) to justify distributing them to each primary care practice. I am expecting a notice from the Department of Public Health as to how they are going to handle this in CT — whether they will ramp up the mass vaccination sites again, or punt to the pharmacies. On the national news this evening, they said CVS was already taking appointments and administering third doses.

In the meantime, if you are anxious and want to get a third shot ASAP, call or go online to CVS and make an appointment there (after checking with your healthcare provider).