COVID-19 vaccine boosters and third doses at Village Health Partners
&srotate=0)
This blog has the most up-to-date information on Village Health Partners guidelines. We will continue to update this blog as needed.
Update from April 6, 2022 – Information has been added regarding the CDC's recommendations around second booster shots. Village Health Partners is not currently offering second booster shots. This page will be updated when second booster shots are available at Village Health Partners.
Third Doses
Per CDC guidelines, you can receive a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine if you:
- Are actively receiving cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Have received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Have received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Have a moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Have advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Are actively receiving treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.
Second Booster Doses
Village Health Partners does not currently offer second booster doses. Please check back here or in our patient newsletters for up-to-date information on when we offer second booster doses.
The CDC has approved the use of a 2nd booster of the mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines for certain individuals. A summary is listed below.
- A second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- A second booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to certain immunocompromised individuals *(see below) 12 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- A second booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to certain immunocompromised individuals* (see below)18 years of age and older at least 4 months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
*Immunocompromised individuals include people with a range of conditions, such as recipients of organ or stem cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIV infection, recipients of active treatment for cancer, people who are taking some medications that weaken the immune system, and others.
More information from the CDC can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0328-covid-19-boosters.html
Booster Doses
First booster shots can be administered at least five months after the completion of the primary series for Pfizer and Moderna and at least 2 months after Johnson & Johnson in individuals who are 18 years and older.
According to the CDC, you can receive a flu shot and COVID-19 shot at the same time.
Village Health Partners follows CDC guidelines, and we are currently only offering third doses and boosters vaccinations to patients who meet the criteria above during scheduled appointments with a provider.
Do you qualify for a booster shot?
Use the flow chart below to see if you qualify for a booster shot. This chart includes information from the CDC about first booster shots only.
Do you want to know what your Village Health Partners physician recommends? Find your booster recommendation below:
The Moderna booster seems to offer better immunity for those originally vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson than a booster of Johnson & Johnson does. While this is what your physician is recommending, the CDC's recommendations allow for choice in booster shots.
Examples of who qualifies for a third dose vs booster dose:
Jane is currently undergoing active treatment for breast cancer. She has received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine but because she is immunocompromised there is a chance that her immune system did not build the same level of immunity as it should have. Jane should get a third dose of Pfizer to help her immune system build up immunity so that she has better protection against COVID-19.
John is a 30-year-old who just received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. He is overweight and smokes but has no other chronic health conditions. He is not immunocompromised so his immune system should already be providing him protection from COVID-19 vaccine. John does NOT need a third dose, but he will qualify for a booster. With time, his immune response may weaken so John will be eligible to receive a Pfizer booster shot in five months from now.