Health Department offering third vaccine doses to residents with compromised immune systems

Aug. 18, 2021 – The Oak Park Department of Public Health is planning to host special clinics to provide an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines to individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Residents who are immunocompromised are asked to email health@oak-park.us and provide contact information so local health officials can confirm their eligibility.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently approved a third vaccination dose of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine for persons with compromised immune systems.

Health officials say people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness.

This additional dose is intended to improve immunocompromised people’s response to their initial vaccine series and is not the same as a booster dose, given to people when the immune response to a primary vaccine series is likely to have waned over time.

Oak Park health officials are following the CDC’s guidance, which recommends additional vaccine doses for moderately to severely immunocompromised people, which includes individuals 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
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Individuals are encouraged to speak to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

In the meantime, the Oak Park Department of Public Health is closely monitoring the national discussion surrounding booster shots for the wider population. More guidance from the CDC regarding booster shots for anyone age 12 and older regardless of medical condition could be available as early as September.

Click here for guidance from the CDC regarding additional shots for immunocompromised individuals.

For the latest information about vaccination options in Oak Park, visit www.oak-park.us/vaccine or email health@oak-park.us.