OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Health Department is now offering a third COVID-19 vaccine shot at its clinics, and said it will offer a booster shot eight months after a person has completed the vaccine series once the state department of health has approved it.
“Our COVID-19 vaccine clinics are open to anyone who is eligible for the vaccine, regardless of where they are in the series,” said Oswego County Medical Director Dr. Christina Liepke. “Patients can come in for their first, second or third dose. Patients need to talk with their health care providers before they come to the clinic to find if they should receive a third dose because only certain people with underlying conditions need it. We encourage patients to bring a note from their provider stating that they are eligible for the third dose. A third dose is different from a booster. Immuno-compromised patients who need a third dose should get it 28 days (or later) after their second dose. In contrast, a booster is given to all patients several months after they complete their vaccine series. The CDC and FDA are considering the possibility of recommending a booster for patients who have had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine eight months after they received their second dose. Once the New York State Department of Health approves this, we will be offering booster vaccines as well.”
The Oswego County Health Department will hold its next COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, August 25 at the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic, 70 Bunner St., Oswego. From 1 to 5:30 p.m., health staff will administer the Pfizer vaccine to those aged 12 and above. The Pfizer vaccine is a two-dose series, so those who come in for their first dose will be offered an appointment to come back for their second dose on Wednesday, September 15.
Walk-ins are welcomed at the vaccination clinic, although appointments and online pre-registration are still appreciated to help reduce wait times and maintain efficient clinic operations. Go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/ and click on the link for “Local Information About the COVID-19 Vaccination.”
On Wednesday, August 18, public health and medical experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, released a joint statement recommending a booster shot for COVID-19 vaccines.
The full statement can be found here.
“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,” the HHS said in the statement. “We have developed a plan to begin offering these booster shots this fall subject to [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] conducting an independent evaluation and determination of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s] Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issuing booster dose recommendations based on a thorough review of the evidence. We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of September 20 and starting 8 months after an individual’s second dose.”
The first groups of people included in the first rollouts of the vaccine, such as health care providers and seniors, will likely be eligible for the booster this fall. The Oswego County Health Department began rolling out the first dose of vaccines in early January, and the Oswego Hospital and ConnextCare began a week earlier, and so Oswego County Health Department Director Jiancheng Huang anticipates the booster shots to begin mid-September.
He said he does not think it is necessary to go back to the same vaccination site to get a booster shot, as long as it is the same vaccine, however he is still waiting for state guidelines.
The HHS also anticipates a booster shot will be necessary for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which had begun being administered after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and so more data is expected soon before making a determination.
When asked about the recommendation for a booster shot, Huang said he was not surprised because data from studies in Israel and England show that as time goes on, the vaccine’s effectiveness is not as strong or optimal as when someone is freshly inoculated.
He also commented on the CDC and the World Health Organization disagreeing on the recommendation, in part due to global access to the vaccine.
“[The Who] wants to get more people vaccinated in the world, but U.S. government wants to get U.S. residents well protected,” Huang said. “I hope people realize we are so lucky to live in the United States and we can get the third shot. In other countries there are not enough for a second dose yet.”
COVID-19 active cases have been jumping in Oswego County with the presence of the Delta variant. Huang said the state has not provided local data for the percentage of Delta cases among the COVID-19 positive cases, but expects the Delta variant to be most prevalent in Oswego County since statewide data shows (as of last week) up to 77% of cases were the Delta variant.
He encourages residents to get vaccinated to better control the virus and to make the community safer.
“It’s not too late to get the vaccine and we have evidence here that the vaccine is effective,” Huang said. “It’s like we are racing with the virus. Either humans control the virus or the virus escapes from humans’ control… Vaccine is the most powerful tool to control the spread.”
