Third Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine In CT: New Details Released

CONNECTICUT – With just about half of the U.S. population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government is finalizing plans to administer a third jab.

Pending authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Biden administration will start rolling out third booster shots to Americans as early as mid-September, Reuters is reporting. In Connecticut, state health officials are collaborating with hospitals and health systems to establish consistent guidelines for administering that third vaccine dose to residents.

Third doses are indicated for severely immunocompromised people who might not have mounted an adequate immune response with two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The Connecticut Hospital Association also is working with the DPH and the state providers on the outreach to potential vaccine candidates. In line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state will use a self-attestation model for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

People are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised if they have been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, have received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system, or have received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.

Also considered immunocompromised are residents with moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome), advanced or untreated HIV infection, or are actively treated with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress their immune response.

Residents who already know that they meet these clinical guidelines can contact a vaccine provider and make an appointment for the third dose.

Those who are unsure if they should receive a third dose can await word from their health care provider indicating eligibility for a third dose, or contact their health care provider to confirm their eligibility.

Recipients of solid organ transplants and others who are moderately or severely immunocompromised who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are advised to receive a third dose of that vaccine at least four weeks following their second dose. The CDC’s latest guidance on the third dose does not apply to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Residents who do not meet the criteria for "moderately to severely immunocompromised" do not need a third dose at this time, according to DPH.

See also: Connecticut Man Dies Hiking

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