OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an amended emergency use authorization for COVID-19 booster shots for people who are immunocompromised.
The FDA stated immunocompromised people are particularly at risk for severe disease, especially since the country has entered a new wave of the pandemic.
Because these people have a reduced ability to fight infections, the FDA said this group of people may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer or Morderna vaccines.
Doctors at CHI Health said the idea that COVID-19 vaccines may not work as well in people who are immunocompromised is nothing new.
“COVID vaccines aren’t necessarily any different than other vaccines. it’s just...there’s a lot of COVID running around now so any extra protection that they can get, can be helpful because these are the people who are more prone to get severe illness if they get illness at all,” said CHI infectious disease expert Dr. David Quimby.
The FDA is working to come out with more specific guidelines about the booster and announce specific groups.
In its initial statement, the FDA suggested the booster go to organ transplant recipients or those with an equivalent level of being immunocompromised.
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