CentraCare Ready To Give Immunocompromised Patients Third Shot

(KNSI) – CentraCare Health says they’re ready to give third shots of the COVID vaccine to people who are immunocompromised.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration authorized a third shot for cancer patients, transplant patients, and anyone classified as immunocompromised last week. CentraCare COVID-19 Incident Commander Dr. George Morris says they’re ready to start giving the third doses now.

“We know that there are certain conditions that put people at risk for not having a greater response. And if we give them a third dose, a larger number will get a good response and develop a good immune system. So we’re ready to start doing that.”

Morris says they’re starting to get a hold of people who need a third shot.

“We will be reaching out to people through MyChart message, phone calls, or mailings. And we also encourage people to go ahead call us if they’re eligible.”

The Minnesota Department of Health says around 150,000 Minnesotans are immunocompromised and are eligible for the third shot.

Dr. Morris says he expects booster shots for people who aren’t immunocompromised to be available later this year, possibly as early as next month.

“The booster is going to be for everybody else. And that is going to be one that’s based on time. Did you get your vaccine more than eight or nine months ago? Then, let’s give you a booster. Especially now with this delta variant of how contagious it is. The booster will help out.”

He says many healthcare experts thought we could get through the pandemic without a booster, but the delta variant, which is behind the most recent surge in cases, changed that.

“Initially, I think the perspective was that we wouldn’t need the booster this fall or this season. We could probably get through. But the Delta variant just threw everybody a curveball. You know, it has been nasty. It’s more contagious. It’s putting more people in the hospital and that’s why we are supportive of doing the booster.”

On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson says a booster dose of its COVID vaccine generates a significant increase in the immune response. J&J says a recent study shows people who received a booster shot 6-8 months after their first dose saw their antibodies increase 9x higher than after the first shot. The CDC and FDA are evaluating the J&J data.

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