The Seminole County Health Department has begun administering an additional third dose of COVID-19 vaccinations to individuals who have been diagnosed with conditions that would consider them to be moderately or severely immunocompromised.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that people whose immune systems are moderately to severely compromised receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least four weeks (28 days) after an initial two-dose series of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. This 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 pri mary 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

“We recommend people talk with their healthcare provider about their medical conditions, and whether getting an additional dose is right for their health,” Jackie Kanak, Regional Director at the Seminole County Health Department, said. “Vaccines have played a large role in our COVID-19 mitigation efforts, so it’s our top priority to get additional doses administered to the individuals in our communities that are most vulnerable.”

Individuals receiving an additional vaccine dose should receive the same vaccine product that was used in their initial two-dose vaccine series (either Pfizer or Moderna). If the COVID-19 vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available, the other COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered. A person should not receive more than three COVID-19 vaccine doses.

To sign up for a third dose, immunocompromised individuals may:

Visit vaccinate.oklahoma. gov to schedule an appointment through the health department’s public health portal

Follow the links on vaccines.gov to find a healthcare provider to book directly with

Call 2-1-1 for assistance locating and scheduling an appointment in their area

Individuals should bring their current vaccination card to their vaccination appointment. If their vaccination card has been misplaced, a new one, reflecting the third dose only, will be provided at the time of the third dose.

The Seminole County Health Department also offers vaccination appointments for non-immunocompromised individuals who still wish to receive their first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. For more information about COVID-19 in Oklahoma, please visit www.oklahoma.gov/covid19.