HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

CDC says some immunocompromised people can get fourth COVID shot

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/26/2021 4:49 PM (GMT -5)
https:// https://www.axios.com/cdc-immunocompromised-covid-fourth-shot-1b47635c-c464-4d29-9832-3d94ea1cecf9.html
———————————-
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in updated guidelines Tuesday that some immunocompromised people who have received either Pfizer or Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines will be able to get a fourth shot.

Details: People over 18 who are "moderately to severely immunocompromised" and have received three doses of an mRNA vaccine may get a fourth shot (of either the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines) at least six months after getting their third Pfizer or Moderna dose, per the CDC.

——————————————-

It would be nice to see the rest of the developing world get some more vaccines before some of us get our fourth doses in the US. I’m due for my forth dose in February.

It’s sad that we need to take a forth dose of vaccines because 30+% of Americans do not feel the need to or feel the obligation to protect their fellow at risk citizens by getting vaccines so they are less likely to spread the virus. They’ve abused our medical systems and put others’ lives at risk.
Posted 10/26/2021 8:24 PM (GMT -5)
I heard this today from my pharmacist. I am so frustrated I could just scream.

3 different pharmacist advised me Booster shots will not give the same protection to Covid vaccine non responders as the 3rd or 4th full shot. (Duh) They are authorized to mix shots only on boosters - not 3rd or 4th shots. So as a complete non responder to Pfizer I can now get the 3rd and 4th Pfizer shot...hmmm....or I can get a half dose booster shot of Moderna. This is just crazy. I have argued and debated until I am blue in my face. No full shot of Moderna for me...so my doctors are still debating this because none of them are willing to open themselves up to liable for not following the recommendation. So I am still scurrying from place to place trying to avoid everyone, not get sick, and get the darn Moderna. And no I will not lie to get it. That's what they all want me to do...to sign a form or tell them I have never been vaccinated. What????? Sorry it's a tantrum rant.

I understand that there are some people that need the 3rd and 4th shot, BUT I think they should be checking each person's antibodies to ensure they really do need a booster or a 3rd shot and they should allow people to chose their own darn shot. I believe in getting the vaccine if you can. And ship a whole lot more over to countries that do not have them.

But that's just my opinion....
Clo
Posted 10/26/2021 9:11 PM (GMT -5)

clo2014 said...
Or I can get a half dose booster shot of Moderna. This is just crazy. I have argued and debated until I am blue in my face. No full shot of Moderna for me...so my doctors are still debating this because none of them are willing to open themselves up to liable for not following the recommendation. So I am still scurrying from place to place trying to avoid everyone, not get sick, and get the darn Moderna.

I thought Moderna went with the 1/3 dose because it had fewer side effects and was almost as affective as the full dose for the 3rd shot.
Posted 10/27/2021 12:30 PM (GMT -5)
I just got my 3rd dose of Moderna. If you tell them you’re immune compromised then you get the full dose. My husband who is not immune compromised but over 65, got the booster. I wish I’d asked for the booster because I had a strong reaction that was two days of not-fun-at-all!

I understand your frustration Clo because after the fda put the brakes on the cdc recommendation for Moderna boosters, I kept getting no answers to my request for a 3rd dose even though THAT was still allowed. One pharmacy said that they had to wait for their corporate office’s guidance. I think you have to just keep asking. I just heard from 2 friends that they got theirs from their doctors office. I thought here we had to go to the pharmacy but I don’t think they really know what they’re doing. You might check with your doctor or see if there’s a government vaccination site? I don’t understand them saying the mix and match is only for the moderna booster? Pfizer booster is a full dose so what’s the difference? If you’re doing a mix and match from Pfizer to Moderna wouldn’t it make sense to get a full dose of a vaccine that’s different from the other you received?

I guess common sense isn’t a factor! Good luck!
Posted 10/27/2021 3:00 PM (GMT -5)

FlowersGal said...
Pfizer booster is a full dose so what’s the difference? If you’re doing a mix and match from Pfizer to Moderna wouldn’t it make sense to get a full dose of a vaccine that’s different from the other you received?

I guess common sense isn’t a factor! Good luck!

Doesn't the Pfizer dose have less overall RNA material than the Moderna dose? Not the cc/ml of the shot but the RNA in it. And wasn't the reason that people had stronger reactions to Moderna than to Pfizer? (over all in the general population)
Posted 10/27/2021 4:15 PM (GMT -5)
I suspect that we may need boosters every 6 months if we are immune compromised. My antibodies after the 3rd dose were 10x what they were after the 2nd dose (went from 3 to 32 on the test in the UNC study). I think we get another test in January. Will decide then about another dose.

Does anyone know how the rest of the world is doing with getting vaccines? We are swimming in them in the U.S. Just wish that everyone who is medically able to get the vaccines would do so. We would all be a lot safer.
Posted 10/27/2021 4:34 PM (GMT -5)
Keith — I have no idea! 😀
Posted 10/27/2021 6:34 PM (GMT -5)

FlowersGal said...
Keith — I have no idea! 😀

I thought this was a pretty well written article on the topic of Pfizer vs Moderna

“ But in the midst of a pandemic last year, the companies had to guess at the optimal dose. Pfizer went with 30 micrograms, Moderna with 100.

Moderna’s vaccine relies on a lipid nanoparticle, which can deliver the larger dose. And the first and second shots of that vaccine are staggered by four weeks, compared with three for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The extra week may give immune cells more time to proliferate before the second dose, said Dr. Paul Burton, Moderna’s chief medical officer. “We need to keep studying this and to do more research, but I think it’s plausible.”

Moderna’s team recently showed that a half dose of the vaccine still sent antibody levels soaring. Based on those data, the company asked the FDA this month to authorize 50 micrograms, the half dose, as a booster shot.

There is limited evidence showing the effect of that dose, and none on how long the higher antibody levels might last. Federal regulators are reviewing Moderna’s data to determine whether the available data is sufficient to authorize a booster shot of the half dose.”https:// www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/moderna-vs-pfizer-both-knockouts-but-one-seems-to-have-the-edge
Posted 10/27/2021 8:24 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks Flowersgal. Today I spent the day calling more pharmacies. Same thing. I may have to break down and actually go in--but people in Texas don't want to wear a mask. Thank goodness I get to go to New Mexico and Colorado soon. They at least wear masks. I'll try there.

Thanks for posting that Keith. This is probably why my infectious disease doctor and GI keep telling me to wait for the authorized Moderna full dose 3rd shot.

You guys keep me sane! So glad you all are here!
Posted 10/28/2021 7:34 AM (GMT -5)

CCinPA said...

Does anyone know how the rest of the world is doing with getting vaccines? We are swimming in them in the U.S. Just wish that everyone who is medically able to get the vaccines would do so. We would all be a lot safer.

49% of the global population has had at least one dose of a vaccine and 38% have had two doses.

I heard the other day that enough vaccines will have been produced and distributed for the entire global population to be fully vaccinated by 2023.
Posted 10/28/2021 11:43 AM (GMT -5)
Do we need to make an appointment for the booster shots? Since I flared after my 2nd Moderna, I asked my GI if he recommended I get the booster yet or not. He called in a covid antibody test for me, so I'm getting that tomorrow. But my boyfriend asked if we need to make appointments (he also takes Xeljanz) and I didn't know. Looked like the answer was yes from a quick Google search but thought I'd ask here!
Posted 10/28/2021 3:18 PM (GMT -5)

Sara14 said...
Do we need to make an appointment for the booster shots? Since I flared after my 2nd Moderna, I asked my GI if he recommended I get the booster yet or not. He called in a covid antibody test for me, so I'm getting that tomorrow. But my boyfriend asked if we need to make appointments (he also takes Xeljanz) and I didn't know. Looked like the answer was yes from a quick Google search but thought I'd ask here!

Sara,

Every state handles their vaccines differently so that answer will vary state to state. When I got my shot in August I had to go to a specific site that was registered to administer 3rd doses (it was a hospital) and I made an appointment. Things have changed since then and I was getting my flu shot on Monday at the Walmart and they were administering 3rd doses of moderna to patients walking up / making appointments online.
Posted 10/28/2021 3:57 PM (GMT -5)
Ok, thank you!
Posted 10/28/2021 6:52 PM (GMT -5)
In BC everyone (who wants one) is getting a booster shot. The more vulnerable such as immuno-compromised are getting a full third dose. We are being contacted when it is time to make an appointment. It is based on time since second shot. They want people to get the booster no sooner than 6 months following their second shot. The more vulnerable - long term care patients, those over age 70 - were first in line for the first vaccines and it went in order based on age from there. So the LTC and over 70s will be receiving their boosters first as well and then it proceeds from there again in the same order.
Posted 10/29/2021 11:13 AM (GMT -5)

clo2014 said...

Thanks for posting that Keith. This is probably why my infectious disease doctor and GI keep telling me to wait for the authorized Moderna full dose 3rd shot.

Clo,

I think we need to trust the scientist, doctors, and medical professionals. They may not communicate the information clearly to you but they have a lot of access to the necessary information on this stuff. Yes, liability does play a roll in this but these are very safe and well studied vaccines - no matter what the news pundits say.
Posted 11/19/2021 11:28 PM (GMT -5)
Yes!!!!!

I waited and was finally able to get my 3rd full dose of Moderna Novber 8th.. I walked into a little pharmacy that only had the Moderna. I had to sign docs stating I was immune compromised, my last full doses were Pfizer and occurred on these dates... I am eligible for 4th dose in May but they indicated it would probably be a half dose? Is that right?

Boy oh boy did my body react differently to Moderna. I actually had some chills, headache, fever and nausea. I smiled the whole way thru it.

But then my mucus output from my fistulas picked up... Intestines started acting up, night sweats came back and I am just so very tired. It's sorta like a mini flare. Uncomfortable but tolerable. I did stay off the methotrexate for 2 weeks. I started back up tonight. Remicade is in 11 days. Hoping everything will settle down after the infusion.

Keth and all, Thanks for the encouragement to wait. I had almost given up.

Cross your fingers that this mini flare settles. I wonder when or if I should start getting worried.

Clo

Post Edited (clo2014) : 11/19/2021 9:31:27 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/22/2021 2:43 PM (GMT -5)

clo2014 said...
Yes!!!!!

I waited and was finally able to get my 3rd full dose of Moderna Novber 8th.. I walked into a little pharmacy that only had the Moderna. I had to sign docs stating I was immune compromised, my last full doses were Pfizer and occurred on these dates... I am eligible for 4th dose in May but they indicated it would probably be a half dose? Is that right?

Boy oh boy did my body react differently to Moderna. I actually had some chills, headache, fever and nausea. I smiled the whole way thru it.

But then my mucus output from my fistulas picked up... Intestines started acting up, night sweats came back and I am just so very tired. It's sorta like a mini flare. Uncomfortable but tolerable. I did stay off the methotrexate for 2 weeks. I started back up tonight. Remicade is in 11 days. Hoping everything will settle down after the infusion.

Keith and all, Thanks for the encouragement to wait. I had almost given up.

Cross your fingers that this mini flare settles. I wonder when or if I should start getting worried.

Clo

I did all of my vaccines around the 2-3 week mark before my next dose of Stelara.

I'm glad that you were persistent.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply