3rd Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Available and Recommended for Select Group of Immune-Compromised Individuals
August 18, 2021 – Cook County Public Health and Sawtooth Mountain Clinic announce the availability of 3rd dose vaccines, following the national public health recommendation for certain individuals living with immune-compromised conditions to receive a 3rd dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Data shows that a 3rd dose significantly increases how well the vaccines work within this population, which currently represents 44% of hospitalized breakthrough cases in the United States. Breakthrough cases, where an individual is infected after being fully vaccinated, are still rare.
“The COVID-19 vaccines continue to be remarkably effective, even against the Delta variant,” said Public Health Supervisor, Grace Grinager. “Nationally, nearly all of the cases of severe disease, hospitalization and death continue to occur among those not yet vaccinated.”
People living with the following immune-compromised conditions are eligible for a 3rd dose and encouraged to register:
- Receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Chronic use of steroids or other immunosuppressive drugs
- HIV
- Organ or stem cell transplant recipient
Individuals living with these conditions must have received both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 28 days prior to becoming eligible for a 3rd dose. The FDA recommends a 3rd dose of the same mRNA vaccine that a person received for their first two doses. Individuals living with one of these conditions who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not recommended for a 3rd dose at this time. Those planning to receive a 3rd dose should speak with their medical provider to time vaccination appropriately alongside any other therapies that suppress the immune system.
In addition to opening registration for 3rd doses to this select group of community members via the Cook County COVID-19 hub site, care coordinator nurses from Sawtooth Mountain Clinic will be reaching out to eligible patients to assist with outreach and registration efforts.
The 3rd dose Moderna clinic will be held at Sawtooth Mountain Clinic on Thursday, August 26th from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. with pre-registration required. 3rd doses of Pfizer will be available at the Cook County Community Center on Wednesday, September 1st from 3-6 p.m. with pre-registration strongly recommended. Grand Portage Health Services will also offer 3rd doses to this eligible group of individuals and can be reached for scheduling at 218-475-2235.
To learn more about eligibility for a 3rd dose of vaccine and to sign up for a local appointment, please visit the Cook County COVID-19 hub site at https://cookcountycovid19.org. If you have questions about your specific medical condition and are unsure about your eligibility, please reach out to your medical care provider.
Contact:
Grace Grinager, Public Health Supervisor, grace.grinager@co.cook.mn.us, 218-387-3605
Kate Surbaugh, Sawtooth Mountain Clinic CEO, kate@sawtoothmountainclinic.org, 218-387-2330