By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas Department of Health has issued approval for local health clinics to distribute the booster shot of the Pfizer COVID vaccine.
Doniphan County Health Director Sheryl Pierce says that after receiving approval for this booster shot, the hope is that booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are not far behind.
"We do expect and hope for that within the next month, as well as by December hopefully, at least with Pfizer, being able to administer the vaccine to those that are five years of age and older," Pierce tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Health Director Sheryl Pierce says the state has issued a list of individuals who should get the vaccine, those 65 and older and those with health conditions.
Pierce says those 18 to 49 may qualify for the booster under certain circumstances.
"The 18 to 49 year old that really maybe had some underlying conditions, but anybody absolutely over the age of 50 should get it," Pierce explains.
Pierce adds though that those who completed their Pfizer vaccine shots, they need to wait awhile before getting the booster. . .
"On the booster, the Pfizer booster three, it has to be six months since they had their last Pfizer vaccine," Pierce says.
For those who have not started the vaccination process yet, Pierce lays out the timeline.
"Got to be six months, you know you get your primary dose of Pfizer, three weeks later you get your booster dose, and then six months later you can get this third dose," Pierce elaborates.
The state of Kansas has issued a list of individuals who should get the booster shot, as well as those who may get it.
Below is the release from the Doniphan County Health Department outlining the individuals who should receive the Pfizer booster three, compared to individuals who may receive the shot:
Doniphan Co. Health Dept./HH has been authorized by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to administer the Pfizer Covid -19 booster shot (3rd) to the following persons who havecompleted a series of Pfizer vaccine greater than 6 months ago:
• people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings SHOULD receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine,
• people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions SHOULD receive a booster shot of Pfizer Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine
• people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical condition MAY receive a booster shot PfizerBioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine
• people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission becauseof occupational or institutional setting MAY receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine
Underlying Medical Conditions Include: • Cancer • Chronic kidney disease • Chronic lung diseases, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension • Dementia or other neurological conditions • Diabetes (type 1 or type 2) • Down syndrome • Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension) • HIV infection • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) • Liver disease • Overweight and obesity • Pregnancy • Sickle cell disease or thalassemia • Smoking, current or former • Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant • Stroke or cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow to the brain • Substance use disorders **
occupational or institutional settings may include healthcare workers, teachers, grocery store workers, retail workers, first responders, residents and staff of congregant settings (corrections, homeless shelters, group homes etc) and many others where a person is in close contact with people less than 6 feet apart on an ongoing basis.
This above recommendations do NOT allow for providing a booster dose of Pfizer for anyone who has been previously vaccinated with Moderna or Johnson and Johnson.