Berkeley Public Health recommends third dose of COVID-19 vaccine for individuals with moderately to severely compromised immune systems

Berkeley, California (Friday, August 20, 2021) - The City of Berkeley recommends that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.

This includes people who have:

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medication to suppress the immune system
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

This is in alignment with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Western States Scientific Safety Review (WSSSR). This recommendation and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. There is not enough data at this time to determine whether immunocompromised individuals who received Johnson and Johnson's (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine would also benefit from an additional dose of vaccine.

Additional doses for Berkeley residents

We encourage residents to talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, whether an additional dose is appropriate for them, and how that additional dose should be incorporated with other treatments they may be receiving. Where possible, the City encourages residents with qualifying conditions to get a booster shot from their healthcare provider.

In circumstances where this is not feasible, city-sponsored clinics will begin to administer additional doses to people who attest to having moderately to severely compromised immune systems starting August 23, 2021. City-sponsored clinics are listed on the City's vaccine webpage.

If you will be attending a city-sponsored clinic to receive the mRNA booster dose, please bring your CDC-issued COVID-19 vaccine card to help verify the type of vaccine dose you are eligible to receive and so that dose administration can be documented.

You can also find a clinic near you offering additional doses on MyTurn.ca.gov. Patients will be asked to attest to having a moderately or severely compromised immune system when they sign up for an appointment.

Vaccines remain the most powerful tool in the fight against COVID-19, including the Delta variant.  The City of Berkeley urges all unvaccinated residents 12 and older to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Links

• City of Berkeley Vaccination Page
• MyTurn vaccination site
• Vaccines (covid.ca.gov)
• Vaccines for COVID-19 (CDC)
• FDA information on Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccines
• Q&A: Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Doses for Immunocompromised People (California Department of Public Health)