News
The Wright Center Following new CDC Recommendations for Third Dose
SCRANTON, PA. (Sept. 24, 2021) – The Wright Center for Community Health will begin scheduling and administering third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, Sept. 27, at its Mid Valley Clinic in Jermyn.
Third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech 19 vaccine are now recommended for additional groups of people, beyond those who are immunocompromised.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends Pfizer third-dose boosters be given six months after the second dose for individuals in these categories:
- Older adults (ages 65 and above) and those living in long-term care facilities.
- Adults ages 50 to 64 at high risk of severe COVID-19 due to underlying medical conditions such as hypertension, asthma and diabetes. (Also, adults ages 18 to 49 at high risk of severe COVID-19 due to underlying medical conditions should consider a booster based on an assessment of their individual benefits and risks and consultation with their medical provider, according to the CDC.)
- Adults age 18 to 64 for people in healthcare and institutional settings whose jobs put them at high risk for COVID-19. This includes healthcare workers, teachers, daycare staff, grocery workers, and people in shelters or prisons.
CDC guidance regarding third doses has not yet been released for the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines, or for the safety of mixing different vaccines.
Earlier this month, the CDC already had begun recommending that people with compromised immune systems who had received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine get a third shot of the same type to boost their protection from COVID-19; the third shot should be received at least 28 days after the second dose.
The recommendation is for people who are “moderately to severely immunocompromised.”
“People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised make up about 3% of the adult population,” according to the CDC, “and are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness.”
This includes 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
- A 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.
Appointments to receive the third dose Moderna vaccine may be made at our Scranton, Mid Valley, Clarks Summit, Kingston, Hawley, South Franklin Street and school-based health locations.
