NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — The Niagara County Department of Health will provide a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised because of a medical condition or medical treatment.
The announcement comes following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amendment to the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).
Based on the recommendations from the CDC, individuals with the following conditions are eligible to receive an additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine 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.
Third dose appointments will be added to all upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics including:
- Niagara County Community College – Learning Commons 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn
- August 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- August 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Niagara University – Dwyer Hockey Arena 795 Lewiston Road, Niagara University
- September 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- September 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccine, visit the Niagara County Department of Health website
Valid dates of of the first and second dose must be provided, and a form verifying eligibility must be completed. Visit the Niagara County Department of Health website to register for an appointment. Assistance is available by calling 211 or 1-888-696-9211.
Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins will be welcomed.
When possible, mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should be completed at least two weeks before starting immunosuppressive treatments. Patients should consult with their doctor to plan out getting a third dose of the vaccine.
Additional doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should be the same vaccine product as the initial two-dose mRNA COVID-19 primary vaccine series. If the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine was given to a person, another mRNA vaccine may be administered as the current recommendations do not apply to the single-dose vaccine.
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