Needle and vial
August 24, 2021September 2, 2021
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People Who Are Immunocompromised Encouraged to Get 3rd Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

Federal officials approved a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to address waning immunity and prioritized who is currently eligible based on risk. Patients who are immunocompromised, meeting the strict eligibility criteria outlined below, are recommended to receive a 3rd shot in the COVID-19 vaccine series.

Additionally, anyone who is not yet fully vaccinated is encouraged to get the vaccine.

Fully vaccinated Minnesotans (other than those meeting the criteria below) are being asked not to call to get a COVID-19 booster shot right now. According to epidemiologists, fully vaccinated people, even those who first received their first dose in late December 2020, still have sufficient immunity from their first two doses. Third doses may be coming to fully vaccinated people soon and people will be notified when they are available.

Experts state that the 3rd dose should be the same as the first 2 doses a person received in the series – either Moderna or Pfizer. At this time, those who received the Johnson & Johnson are not eligible for an additional dose.

Immunocompromised patients meeting ANY of the following criteria are encouraged to get a 3rd dose:

  • Currently receiving treatment for cancer
  • Have had an organ transplant and are on immunosuppression therapy
  • Have had a blood stem cell transplant or CAR-T cell transplant AND
    • are within 2 years of transplant OR
    • are on immunosuppression therapy
  • Is currently being treated with immunosuppressive medications such as:
    • high dose corticosteroids (>20 mg prednisone or equivalent/day)
    • alkylating agents, antimetabolites, TNF blockers, severely immunosuppressive cancer chemotherapeutic agents, transplant related immunosuppressive drugs
    • other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory
  • Have advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Have a moderate or severe PRIMARY immunodeficiency (e.g. DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

Call to Schedule

To request a 3rd dose of the vaccine if you have a compromised immune system (per the criteria above) or you would like to get your first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, please call Glenwood Medical Center’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 320.331.2121. Leave your name, date of birth, and the best number to reach you. Receptionists will call you to schedule.