Johnston Reporter

Johnston County Public Health Department issued the following announcement on Aug. 14. 

The Johnston County Public Health Department, in accordance with modified FDA Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for Pfizer- BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, will now administer an additional dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for certain immunocompromised people.

The third dose would be administered at least 28 days after the completion of the initial mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series. The age groups authorized to receive the additional dose are unchanged from those authorized to receive the primary vaccination series.

• Pfizer-BioNTech: ages 12 years and older.
• Moderna: ages 18 years and older. 

Conditions and treatments associated with moderate and severe immunocompromised patients include but are not limited to:

• 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. 

The additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose should be the same vaccine product (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) as the initial two-dose product the patient received. The Johnston County Public Health Department encourages those who are eligible for a third dose to bring their vaccine card to the Health Department to ensure accuracy. No appointments are necessary at this time.  

Currently the data is insufficient to support the use of an mRNA dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The FDA and CDC are actively working to provide guidance on this issue. 

The Johnston County Public Health Department will offer vaccine clinics for first, second and third doses Monday-Friday at the Health Department, located at 517 N. Brightleaf Boulevard, Smithfield, NC from 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. On Tuesdays the clinic will run from 9:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.

This week the Health Department will be offering the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines throughout the County via their community outreach clinics. First, second and third doses will be available to eligible members of the public regardless of health insurance or immigration status. Below you'll find the schedule for this week's outreach clinics.

• Wed. 8/18: Benson Housing Authority/Raymond Sanders I- 1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. 
• Thurs. 8/19: Selma Middle School- 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
• Fri. 8/20: Clayton High School- 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
• Sun. 8/22: BrightLeaf Flea Market- 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. 

Original source can be found here.