3rd Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available In Camden County

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are now available throughout Camden County for those who are immunocompromised, officials announced on Tuesday.

On Aug. 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

The third dose is recommended at least 28 days after a resident has received a second dose. Those who are not immunocompromised are not yet eligible for the third dose, officials said.

Specifically, the FDA named solid organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise as being eligible for a third dose.

People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness and may benefit from an additional COVID-19 dose to make sure they have enough protection against the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes patients and doctors should decide who needs an extra dose and what the timing of that dose should be. No prescription or doctor's note will be needed. Individuals must attest their need for the third dose.

“We strongly urge those Camden County residents with weakened immune systems to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting this free third dose of the vaccine,” Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said.

As of Tuesday, there have been 51,515 cases of the coronavirus and 1,242 coronavirus-related deaths in Camden County since the pandemic began in March 2020.

“Fortunately, we are not yet seeing a spike in deaths matching the recent spike in COVID-19 cases,” Cappelli said. “However, we are seeing more hospitalizations than we have in months, and people are still getting sick every day. We need everyone who isn’t vaccinated to get their shot as soon as possible and help us to stop the spread once again.”

As of Tuesday, 311,259 Camden County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 282,260 are fully vaccinated.

Camden County Commissioner Jonathan Young will be joined by Camden County Assistant Public Health Coordinator Caryelle Lasher, Cherry Hill Superintendent of Schools Joseph Meloche and Virtua Health Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jennifer Khelil for a virtual town hall Wednesday morning.

They will address resident questions and concerns regarding the Delta Variant, the ongoing vaccine rollout, and the ongoing pandemic. The event takes place at 11 a.m., and will stream live at camdencounty.com/live and on Camden County’s Facebook page.

Questions from the public are already being collected on camdencounty.com, and residents will have the opportunity to submit questions during the town hall on Facebook.

“Guidance is changing every day with regard to Delta, vaccines, masks, and how these things affect daily life,” Young said. “We need our residents to keep up-to-date and follow the most recent recommendations of our public health officials. We can put this pandemic behind us if we work together.”

At Virtua, Khelil collaborates with the leadership team to provide clinical oversight to all system practices while focusing on high reliability, quality and safety, and patient outcomes. She also provides leadership for Physician Services and Medical Affairs.

Anyone who has any questions about the vaccine can contact their healthcare provider. Caregivers or representatives of immunocompromised individuals can call the New Jersey Vaccine Call Center at 855-568-0545 for additional guidance. To find a vaccination location in New Jersey, visit covid19.nj.com/finder.