Penn State Health will begin offering third-dose COVID-19 vaccinations to immunocompromised patients — including employees — at five locations across central Pennsylvania. This is NOT a booster shot:
- Berks County – location to be announced.
- Centre County, Penn State Health Medical Group – Colonnade, 32 Colonnade Way, State College
- Cumberland County, Penn State Health Medical Arts Building, Suite 300, 890 Poplar Church Road, Camp Hill
- Dauphin County, 555 Campus Drive, Hershey
- Lancaster County, Penn State Health Lancaster Administration Building, 1600 Cloister Drive, Lancaster
The Lancaster and Centre County sites are open and available for accepting scheduled appointments as of Sept. 13. The opening dates of the three other locations will be announced soon.
Eligible patients are encouraged to sign up for their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at vaccine-scheduler.pennstatehealth.org or through the COVID-19 vaccination call center at 844-774-8883.
On Aug. 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its emergency use authorizations for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to authorize third doses for certain immunocompromised individuals. These doses can be administered as soon as 28 days after the second dose.
What is the difference between a third dose and a booster of the COVID-19 vaccine?
A third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is part of the primary vaccine series that some immunocompromised patients need to have a better response to the vaccination. Patients can receive a third dose 28 days after their second. This is different from a booster shot, which is given to boost waning immunity after a prior good immune response from the vaccine. As of today, booster shots have not been authorized by the FDA or recommended by the CDC.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive third doses to ensure adequate protection against COVID-19. Not only are these individuals especially vulnerable to the illness, the two-dose series of the mRNA vaccines may not provide them with the same level of protection as it does for those who are not immunocompromised.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced plans on Aug. 18 to provide booster shots for “all Americans,” pending FDA authorization and recommendation by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). If the FDA grants authorization for booster shots, Penn State Health will make them available to both patients and employees in line with the recommendations determined by the ACIP. Watch the Daily Brief for details.
