With inputs from Dr Monica Vasudev

CDC recommends booster dose for moderately to severely immunocompromised persons

CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose or third dose following FDA authorisation for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA has not authorised emergency use for another dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at this time. The following groups of people are eligible for the third dose:

• Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
• Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
• Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.

As per CDC guidelines, people who need an additional dose and received either a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine series should receive a third dose of the same vaccine used. They should receive the third dose at least 28 days after the second dose. Patients do not need a prescription from a physician for third dose verification and they can self-attest to their condition… (Source: CDC)

WHO again asks developed countries to halt COVID-19 booster dose for the fully vaccinated persons

“WHO has again called for a temporary moratorium on boosters to help shift supply to those countries that have not been able to vaccinate their health workers and at-risk communities and are now experiencing major spikes at a news briefing on Wednesday. At present just 10 countries have administered 75% of all vaccine supplies and low-income countries have vaccinated only 2% of their people. What is clear is that its critical to get first shots into arms and protect the most vulnerable before boosters are rolled out… (Source: WHO News Briefing, August 18, 2021)  

Joint Statement from US Dept. of Public Health and medical experts on COVID-19 booster dose

“The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue to be remarkably effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. Recognizing that many vaccines are associated with a reduction in protection over time, and acknowledging that additional vaccine doses could be needed to provide long lasting protection, we have been analyzing the scientific data closely from the United States and around the world to understand how long this protection will last and how we might maximize this protection. The available data make very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease. Based on our latest assessment, the current protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death could diminish in the months ahead, especially among those who are at higher risk or were vaccinated during the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout. For that reason, we conclude that a booster shot will be needed to maximize vaccine-induced protection and prolong its durability… (CDC, August 18, 2021)