Third dose of COVID-19 Vaccine for immunocompromised

Georgia (WDEF)- Anyone with moderate to severely immunocompromised can now receive a third dose of Pfizer or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in the North Georgia Health District.

“You must wait 28 days after your second dose to get that third dose booster and you preferably need the same kind of shot that you got the first time,” said Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey.

The CDC has recommended providing a third dose vaccine for those currently receiving cancer treatment, organ transplants, as well as other immunosuppressants.

“Those are the kind of people we recommend getting the third dose. Someone can provide a doctor’s note that they meet one of those criteria but also patients self attest that they have one of those conditions to receive the third dose,” said Immunization Coordinator Ashley Deverell.

“If you think you qualify for a third dose booster you need to be talking to your doctor. Your doctor may already be reaching out to you to tell you that,” said Piercey.

They said this currently only applies to those who received the mRNA vaccines, not Johnson and Johnson.

“Johnson and Johnson was not out until around March so, it would make sense that we are just not at the same level of time at this point because it came out four months later than the other two,” said Deverell.

“Noticed I did not mention Johnson and Johnson that is currently not authorized but for those who got two doses of Pfizer or Moderna they can get a third dose,” said Piercey.

Deverell said if you are not immunocompromised you should wait to get your third dose.

“We want to protect the immunocompromised first so those are the people who are most at risk for severe effects from COVID-19 everybody will eventually get their time to receive a booster. We anticipate that at the end of September it will be eight months from the time of the second dose,” said Deverell.

They said even with the third dose being administered people who are not fully vaccinated are still strongly encouraged to get their first or second dose.