Rhode Island Getting Ready To Give COVID-19 Booster Vaccines

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island is gearing up to give out booster doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to certain immunocompromised residents, following officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) giving their approval Thursday.

Gov. Dan McKee in a statement Friday said his administration is reviewing the new recommendations and working with federal partners to make third doses available for eligible people by early next week.

"The announcements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for certain immunocompromised people are great news," McKee said. "The COVID-19 vaccine already provides excellent protection against COVID-19-associated hospitalizations and fatalities, and this additional dose will give even more immunity to people who may be a little more vulnerable."

According to the FDA, the booster vaccine was authorized only for transplant recipients, people suffering from certain cancers and other disorders considered to have "an equivalent level of immunocompromise." The eligible group is estimated to be just 3 percent of the U.S. population.

The FDA also made no mention of boosters for immune-compromised patients who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

McKee said more information will be made available to health care providers and the public in the coming days, including what exact conditions will qualify for booster shot eligibility.

"Ample vaccine supply exists in Rhode Island to meet this new demand, and we have the infrastructure in place to move swiftly," McKee said. "For any eligible Rhode Islanders who have not yet gotten their first vaccine — it is time."