Coronavirus (COVID-19)
COVID-19 Newsletter
August 20, 2021
Currently DeKalb County's COVID-19 community transmission is now at high level per Centers of Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of end of day on Thursday, August 20, 2021, DCHD has administered over 55,214 doses of COVID-19 Vaccine in DeKalb County. 
COVID-19 3rd Dose Vaccines
for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised
People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness. Studies indicate some immunocompromised people don’t always build the same level of immunity after vaccination the way non-immunocompromised people do.
 
CDC recommends that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
 
CDC does not recommend additional doses or booster shots for any other population at this time.
Heading Here
Moderately to severely immunocompromised people includes people who have:

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood

• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

• Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

• Advanced or untreated HIV infection

• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Those who are immunocompromised should talk with their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

To view the CDC recommendations for those who are immunocompromised, visit:
Frequently Asked Questions
Specific to those who are immunocompromised
How long after getting my initial COVID-19 vaccines
can I get an additional dose?

CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks (28 days) after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Can you mix and match the vaccines?

For people who received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine series, a third dose of the same mRNA vaccine should be used. A person should not receive more than three mRNA vaccine doses.

What should immunocompromised people who
received the J&J/Janssen vaccine do?

The FDA’s recent EUA amendment only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer), as does CDC’s recommendation.

What are the risks of vaccinating individuals
with an additional dose?

There is limited information about the risks of receiving an additional dose of vaccine, and the safety, efficacy, and benefit of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised people continues to be evaluated. So far, reactions reported after the third mRNA dose were similar to that of the two-dose series: fatigue and pain at injection site were the most commonly reported side effects, and overall, most symptoms were mild to moderate.
However, as with the two-dose series, serious side effects are rare, but may occur.

To view the IDPH Frequently Asked Questions on 3rd dose vaccines for COVID-19, visit:
DeKalb County Pharmacies Offering
3rd Dose for Immunocompromised
Walk-up for all locations noted below are subject to availability of the vaccine.
Person is eligible to receive 3rd dose who is an adult and is immunocompromised, and it’s been more than 28 days since the 2nd COVID-19 vaccine.
CVS

Hy-vee
Walk- in or appointment https://www.hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/vaccine-consent

Jewel Osco

Walgreens
Currently, no appointments being scheduled over the phone or online. Walk-in only.

Walmart (currently only offer Pfizer)
Walk-ins welcome during pharmacy hours and appointments online visit Walmart.com/covid or https://www.walmart.com/pharmacy/clinicalservices/immunization/scheduled?imzType=covid
Delta Variant: What We Know About the Science
The Delta variant is more than 2x as contagious as previous variants. Some data suggest the Delta variant might cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated persons.
 
Although breakthrough infections happen much less often than infections in unvaccinated people, individuals infected with the Delta variant, including fully vaccinated people with symptomatic breakthrough infections, can transmit it to others. CDC is continuing to assess data on whether fully vaccinated people with asymptomatic breakthrough infections can transmit.
 
The greatest risk of transmission is among unvaccinated people who are much more likely to contract and, therefore, transmit the virus. 
The Delta Variant: What You Should Know
DeKalb County Health Department is not yet offering 3rd dose vaccines for those who are Immunocompromised.
COVID-19 Vaccination Card
You will receive a COVID-19 vaccination card after you get your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The card tells you:

  • Which COVID-19 vaccine you received.
  • The date of your first dose.
  • Where you received it.

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses (Pfizer and Moderna), bring the card to your second appointment so the second dose information can be filled in. 

If you did not receive a vaccination card at your first appointment or have lost your vaccination card, contact the provider that administered the vaccination. If you are unable to contact the provider, there are other ways of obtaining your COVID-19 vaccination record:


After getting vaccinated, keep your card safe. It is best to keep it protected by using a plastic sleeve rather than laminating it. You should not post your vaccination card on social media as it contains personal information. 
County Level COVID-19 Risk Metrics
Please email your questions to [email protected]