Who Needs an Additional COVID-19 Vaccine?

Currently, CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people 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 2 years or 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

• -Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

CDC does not recommend additional doses or booster shots for any other population at this time. People should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

Can you mix and match the vaccines?

For people who received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine series, a third dose of the same mRNA vaccine should be used. 
A person should not receive more than three mRNA vaccine doses. If the mRNA vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available or is unknown, either mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered.

How long after getting my initial COVID-19 vaccines can I get an additional dose?

CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks (28 days) after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
 

Can I get my additional dose at a different place than where I got my initial vaccinations?

 Yes. You can get your additional (3rd) dose of the COVID vaccination at a different vaccination location than where you initially got the vaccine. It is more important that you try and stay with the same manufacturer. If you initially got the Moderna vaccine, get the Moderna for your additional dose.  If you initially got the Pfizer vaccine, get the Pfizer for your additional dose. 
 

What should immunocompromised people who received the J&J/Janssen vaccine do?

The FDA’s recent EUA amendment only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as does CDC’s recommendation.
Emerging data have demonstrated that immunocompromised people who have low or no protection following two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may have an improved response after an additional dose of the same vaccine. There is not enough data at this time to determine whether immunocompromised people who received the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine also have an improved antibody response following an additional dose of the same vaccine.
 

Can I get my additional COVID -19 vaccine at the Bethlehem Health Bureau?

You can get an additional dose (3^rd dose) of Pfizer vaccine at the Bethlehem Health Bureau (BHB) if your initial COVID-19 vaccine was Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer).  BHB currently does not have the Moderna VOBID vaccine in stock. 
But both the Moderna COVID Vaccine and Pfizer Vaccine are available at most doctor’s offices, pharmacies and other vaccine providers.

Please see the following link for additional dose FAQs:

https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Guidance/Additional-Dose-FAQs.aspx

City of Bethlehem 

**For the most recent information on the Delta Variant, please see the following link