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

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

In Pennsylvania, the third booster will be for immunocompromised individuals, in accordance with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of this week, the FDA is not recommending the third shot for any other groups.

“We are pleased that the federal government is taking steps to ensure individuals who are immunocompromised have the opportunity to receive another layer of protection against COVID-19,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “The department is already working with vaccine providers on this important protection for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians. We are confident in our ability to meet the needs of this critical population by our previous successful vaccination efforts and current vaccine supply.”

Pending authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Biden administration will start rolling out the third shots to states and providers as early as mid-September, Reuters is reporting.

Pennsylvania health officials are collaborating with hospitals and health systems to establish consistent guidelines for administering that third vaccine dose to residents.

The CDC cautioned that people shouldn't mix and match COVID vaccines, so sign up for the same type of vaccine as your first two shots. But if you don't know which type of shots you received, health officials said it's fine to get either the Pfizer or Moderna booster.

What vaccines does this apply to?

Third doses are only recommended for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The CDC said there isn't yet enough data to say whether a second shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would give extra protection against the coronavirus. While that could change, a J&J booster has not yet been authorized.

What will the side effects of the third shot be?

All the vaccines currently available in the United States have been through multi-phase clinical trials with more than 30,000 participants — plus millions of ordinary Americans who have now received a shot. The side effects are the same as the first two shots: soreness at the injection site, fatigue, fever, chills and headache. Allergic reactions are rare. All providers have medicine available to treat such reactions, and studies suggest that if you weren't allergic to the first two shots, you'll be fine with the third.

Who is 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.

With reporting from Patch correspondent Rich Kirby and J. Ryne Danielson