COVID-19 Update: CDC recommends extra vaccine dose for immunocompromised people

(Independent stock photo)

(Independent stock photo)

COTTONWOOD — With the Delta variant of COVID-19 on the rise, health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending an additional dose of the vaccine for immunocompromised people.

After reporting 318 new COVID-19 cases in a four-day stretch between Aug. 10-13 last week, Yavapai County Community Health Services is reporting 228 new cases of the coronavirus and one new death since Friday.

photo

This COVID-19 dashboard is maintained by Yavapai County Community Health Services. It may not always reflect current updated numbers or match posted Arizona Department of Health Services data. For more county COVID-19 data visit https://www.yavapai.us/chs. For state data visit https://www.azdhs.gov/covid-19. (YCCHS/Courtesy)

The county has tested 132,549 residents for COVID-19 and there have been 22,256 positive cases and 556 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood reported 21 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, Aug. 16, while the Yavapai Regional Medical Center in the quad-city area reported 40 new patients (33 in Prescott, seven in Prescott Valley). The Prescott VA reported only two new COVID-19 patients.

STATE

The Arizona Department of Health Services on Monday, Aug. 16, reported 2,400 new confirmed cases and no new deaths. That follows three straight days of more than 3,000 new cases.

The new numbers bring the totals in Arizona since the pandemic started to 967,862 cases and 18,464 deaths. Before Friday, Aug. 13, Arizona last reported more than 3,000 additional infections in early February.

Hospitalizations in the state related to COVID-19 have nearly tripled since the end of May.

EXTRA DOSE

Currently, the CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. 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 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system;
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome);
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection; and
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.

People should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

The CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, according Farneti.

For people who received either Pfizer or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine series, a third dose of the same mRNA vaccine should be used. The FDA’s recent EUA amendment only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as does CDC’s recommendation, so there is no booster for Johnson & Johnson.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or what seems to be a bad cold, please get tested for COVID-19.

For testing sites, visit yavapaiaz.gov/portals/39/covid-19/testingsitesinyavapaicounty.pdf.

The best way to avoid getting infected is to get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe, effective, and free. Check out the YCCHS Vaccine Information Page for contact info to make an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccines: yavapaiaz.gov/chs/Home/COVID-19/COVID-19-Vaccine-Appointments. Others can call 928-771-3122 for an appointment, or the phone bank for assistance: 928-442-5103.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Brian M. Bergner Jr. on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SoundCloud at @52MediaWorks. Email him at bbergner@verdenews.com, or call 928-634-2241, ext. 6033.


Donate Report a Typo Contact
Most Read
Event Calendar
Event Calendar link
Submit Event