COVID-19 booster vaccine recommended for the immunocompromised

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 8/19/21

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is advising immunocompromised individuals to get a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. The department announced their recommendation this week following the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. “This is great news because we know the impact COVID-19 has with high-risk groups,” DPHHS Director Adam Meier said, noting that emerging data suggest people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity compared to people who are not immunocompromised. “The updated recommendations will ensure those most vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 can get as much protection as possible.”

This makes nearly 22,000 Montanans eligible, including people who have:

• been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or blood cancers
• received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress their immune system
• received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking related 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 one’s immune response