As RivCo COVID Cases Mount, Feds OK Booster For Immunocompromised

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — As new coronavirus cases continue climbing in Riverside County, on Friday federal regulators authorized a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people with compromised immune systems.

Immunocompromised people can begin receiving the shots immediately, and mixing of the mRNA vaccines is permitted for the third dose if the original vaccine is unavailable, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Patients do not need a prescription or signoff from a healthcare provider in order to prove they are immunocompromised, according to officials.

The decision does not apply to people who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Data to support a J&J booster is still not in, according to the CDC.

People with compromised immune systems are likely to have weaker COVID-19 protection after the two-dose regimens compared to healthier individuals. A third shot is designed to offer greater prevention of serious COVID-19 illness in breakthrough cases among immunocompromised people, officials said.

"This official CDC recommendation — which follows FDA’s decision to amend the emergency use authorizations of the vaccines — is an important step in ensuring everyone, including those most vulnerable to COVID-19, can get as much protection as possible from COVID-19 vaccination," said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky.

"Emerging data suggest some people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity compared to people who are not immunocompromised," Walensky continued. "In addition, in small studies, fully vaccinated immunocompromised people have accounted for a large proportion of hospitalized breakthrough cases (40-44%). Immunocompromised people who are infected with SARS CoV-2 are also more likely to transmit the virus to household contacts."

Fully vaccinated people who do not have compromised immune systems do not need an additional vaccine dose right now, officials said.

Riverside County COVID-19 Figures

The Riverside University Health System said Friday that the number of COVID-19 ICU patients increased to 97, compared to 89 Thursday, while total coronavirus hospitalizations fell to 479, a decline of four from a day ago. One week ago, total COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 384, with 85 of those patients in ICU.

RUHS also reported 1,052 newly confirmed cases Friday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 to 319,733. One week ago, total cases stood at 313,931 — an increase of 5,802 cases over the seven-day period.

Six additional virus-related deaths were reported Friday. Officials have reported 4,685 deaths from virus-related complications in the last 17 months. One week ago, the total death toll stood at 4,667.

The fatalities are trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates and can go back a month, according to health officials.

Meanwhile, RUHS is attempting to collect statistics tied to the number of hospitalizations involving residents who have been partially or fully vaccinated, according to agency spokesman Jose Arballo.

The latest upswing in infections included vaccinated patients in locations worldwide, according to published reports, and the county is seeking to get an accurate representation of local figures.

"I am working with administration to get some system for tracking," Arballo told City News Service. "The hospitals may provide that to the state, and we are trying to get a system in place to retrieve that data."

The recent increase in COVID cases mirrors a nationwide surge, and officials have said the Delta variant has helped fuel the escalation, as well as the relaxation on June 15 of the state's public health measures.

According to RUHS, as of Friday 51.1% of all county residents 12 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. One week ago the figure stood at 50.4%.

Information on vaccination is available at rivcoph.org/coronavirus.

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