Vaccine booster not for everyone yet

The Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus continues to drive an unrelenting wave of new infections and record-setting hospital admissions across Oklahoma.

The push for vaccination continues, with anti-vax skeptics pushing back with pseudo-science posts gleaned from social media.

If that wasn’t confusing enough, now the talk is about booster shots for those who received two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer  vaccines.

But according to the McClain County Health Department, it’s not that complicated.

Yes, a third dose of the vaccines is available. Just not for everyone.

The booster shots are for persons age 12 and older diagnosed with “conditions that would consider them to be moderately or severely immunocompromised.”

This includes individuals 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 two years or who are taking medicine to suppress the immune system;
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome);
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection; or
• Received active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress the body’s immune response.

If you have questions, the health department advises talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition(s) and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for you.

It’s important to note that Moderna and Pfizer are the only vaccines eligible for the administration of a third dose at this time.

According to the FDA, an additional dose is not currently recommended for individuals who received the Janssen (J&J) vaccine.