CVS began offering third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to eligible immunocompromised patients Saturday.
Those considered immunocompromised can now schedule vaccination appointments at CVS.com. Anyone who schedules an appointment will be required to attest to their eligibility for a third vaccine dose during the scheduling process and at the appointment.
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U.S. regulators earlier this week said transplant recipients and others with severely weakened immune systems can now get an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to better protect themselves as the highly transmissible delta variant of the the virus continues to surge.
“The country has entered yet another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the FDA is especially cognizant that immunocompromised people are particularly at risk for severe disease. After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Vaccines,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. in a statement Thursday. “Today’s action allows doctors to boost immunity in certain immunocompromised individuals who need extra protection from COVID-19.”
Those eligible for a third vaccine include people with organ transplants and others diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise. This high-risk group is estimated to be no more than 3% of U.S. adults, the Associated Press reported.
For this group, a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can now be administered at least 28 days after a person receives their initial two-dose regimen of a given vaccine.