Some immunocompromised Utahns seek COVID-19 booster doses
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Some immunocompromised Utahns are seeking COVID-19 booster doses, although they’re not yet broadly recommended by federal officials.
“At this point in time, we don’t want to give people vaccinations when they don’t need it, an extra booster,” Valerie Gooder, nursing professor at Weber State University said.
Some vaccine makers are already suggesting more doses for the vaccinated, while some global health organizations say other countries with low vaccination rates should catch up first.
“That is for their benefit,” Gooder said, “but it’s also for our benefit so we don’t have these variants developing overseas and then being transmitted back to us."
People who are immunocompromised may be the first to receive booster doses, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet made that suggestion.
“Anecdotally, we’ve heard from individuals who have reached out to their health care providers,” Tom Hudachko, spokesman for the Utah Department of Health said. "And depending on your medical history and some of your individual risk factors, a physician may recommend that you get a booster dose.”
The latest guidance from UDOH is below:
Right now, the CDC doesn’t recommend booster doses. There’s also no recommendations about whether you need a booster dose of a different type of vaccine. For example, if you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, there’s no need right now to get a dose of a mRNA vaccine.
All authorized COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the variants we’ve identified so far. The level of effectiveness may vary based on a person’s medical history, age, and the type of vaccine they got.
Depending on your medical history and risk factors, your doctor may recommend getting a booster dose. This is rare and not a recommendation for the general public at this time. We are not facilitating booster or extra doses at this time.
