3rd COVID Vaccine Dose For Immunocompromised: What To Know In WI

WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is now recommending people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised get an additional dose of a COVID-19 vaccine no sooner than 28 days after their first two doses, health services said.

The third shot for immunocompromised people is not like the booster shot, Medical College of Wisconsin Associate Professor Dr. Ben Weston explained at a news briefing. The booster shot is for people whose immune systems have weakened over time, he said.

People with compromised immune systems make up about 3 percent of the population, Weston said. People with certain cancers, organ or stem cell transplants, people living with HIV or those on certain medications are likely to get breakthrough infections even after two doses, he said.

Immunocompromised people were more vulnerable to breakthrough infections specifically with the delta variant, Weston added.

"Studies show that those who didn't get a robust immune response from the second dose of their vaccine had an improved response when they got that additional dose," Weston said.

Both state health services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems should get their third vaccine dose. That includes:

• Patients receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
• Organ transplant recipients who are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
• Anyone who has had a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years.
• People with moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency like those with DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and advanced or untreated HIV.
• Anyone taking high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress their immune system.

State health services said that people with any of these conditions should talk to their health care provider about whether they will need an additional dose, whether they will need to pause their treatment or medication after getting an additional dose or both.

People with compromised immune systems and no health care provider should call 211 for instruction, health services said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced Tuesday that the City of Milwaukee Health Department will offer third COVID-19 vaccine doses to people with compromised immune systems. The Food and Drug Administration approved of the third dose for immunocompromised people Thursday.