This official CDC recommendation — which follows FDA’s decision to amend the emergency use authorizations of the vaccines — is an important step in ensuring everyone, including those most vulnerable to COVID-19, can get as much protection as possible from COVID-19 vaccination.
Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is currently planning with community partners and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and expects to release more information next week.
"We know that this will interest a lot of people, so we are in the planning process now for how we will meet the interest and demand and should have more information available next week for people who are interested," said LDCPH Director Dan Partridge.
From the KDHE's announcement: This EUA does not apply to those who received the Janssen/J&J vaccine as there is currently not enough data to determine if an additional dose of Janssen/J&J vaccine will improve immune response in people who are immunocompromised.
This additional is to be administered at least 28 days after the second dose and is recommended only for people who are moderately and severely immunocompromised due to a health condition or medical treatment. This includes
- 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
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Active treatments with high-dose corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, TNF blockers and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.
CDC and ACIP emphasized that this applies only to those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and does not apply to pregnant individuals, all residents of LTCs, or those with chronic medical conditions unless, of course, they are also deemed to be moderately or severely immunocompromised.