The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that certain immunocompromised individuals who have already received an initial two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) receive an additional dose.
Emerging evidence shows some people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised experienced a reduced immune response to the initial COVID-19 vaccine series. The administration of an additional mRNA COVID-19 VACCINE aims to prevent serious and possibly life-threatening COVID-19 within this population.
Those with moderate to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition, or receipt of immunosuppressive medications or treatments are eligible for a third dose of the same type of vaccine they previously received. This includes people who have:
- Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies.
- Receipt of a solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy.
- Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy.)
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection.
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.
People should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. The additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should be administered at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC does not recommend additional doses or booster shots for any other population at this time.
Please visit https://www.coconino.az.gov/2580/COVID-19-Vaccination-Locations for information about where to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.