CVS offering third vaccine shot to immunocompromised

Photo | CNN Money A CVS storefront.

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By Zachary Vasile

CVS Health is now offering to administer a third shot of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to immunocompromised people.

The healthcare and insurance conglomerate, which owns Hartford-based Aetna, is allowing eligible patients to book an appointment for a third shot through its website. The service aligns with a recent recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that those with “moderately” to “severely” compromised immune systems should receive another shot of mRNA vaccine after their initial two doses, the company said.

The vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna use first-of-its-kind mRNA technology, while the Johnson & Johnson preparation is a more traditional viral vector vaccine.

The CDC’s recommendation applies only to Americans who have received Pfizer or Moderna doses.

Interest in “booster” shots has grown over the last few weeks as the more contagious COVID-19 delta variant spreads and many immunized Americans worry that their protection from the virus may be waning with time. On its website, the CDC notes that it is not clear how long protection from vaccines lasts.

According to federal data, about 71% of Connecticut residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and roughly 64% are fully vaccinated.