Effective Monday, September 27, 2021 the COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center will reopen at The Highlands.
On September 24, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in certain populations and recommended a booster dose for those in high-risk occupational and institutional settings.
This booster dose recommendation does not apply to people who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC recommends the booster dose for individuals who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine:
• People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series,
• People aged 50 – 64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of PfizerBioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series,
• People aged 18 – 49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of PfizerBioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks, and
• People aged 18 – 64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
West Virginians who meet CDC eligibility recommendations are strongly encouraged to choose COVID-19 vaccination, which now includes a booster dose for the Pfizer mRNA vaccine.
Beginning on Monday, September 27, 2021, all COVID-19 vaccinations through the WOCHD will be done at the COVID-19 community vaccination center at the Highlands, which is located in the old Michaels Craft Store/Spirit Halloween Store. The address is 550 Cabela Drive, Triadelphia, West Virginia 26059. The Community Vaccination Center is open from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Monday-Friday.
Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines are available at the vaccine center, Pfizer is only available for the BOOSTER program. Walk-ins are welcomed.
All BOOSTER vaccinations will require an official COVID-19 vaccination card or VAMS Certification. Individuals who received a COVID-19 vaccination were issued a personal COVID-19 vaccination card which included vaccine details such as lot number, vaccination location, vaccination type and the number of vaccines given. Individuals who need a COVID-19 vaccine replacement card can apply for a card through the WVDHHR at https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/replacement-card.aspx . Replacement cards will not be issued at the community vaccine center or the county health department at this time.
Homebound COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Individuals who are homebound can call the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department to schedule a home COVID-19 vaccination visit. Ohio County residents can call (304) 234-3682 to set up an appointment and vaccination type.
Additional Dose of RNA COVID-19 Vaccinations
On August 13, 2021, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met and reviewed the data for use of an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised people. ACIP made an interim recommendation for use of an additional dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (for persons aged ≥12 years) or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (for persons aged ≥18 years) after an initial 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series for moderately to severely immunocompromised people and does not apply to people who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID19 vaccine be administered at the earliest four weeks at least 28 days after a second dose and a person should not receive more than three mRNA vaccine doses total. The additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose should be the same vaccine product as the initial 2-dose mRNA COVID-19 primary vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna). If the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available, the other mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered.
The specific list of eligible people includes:
- Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
- Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
- Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory
While immunocompromised individuals do not need a prescription, or proof of their condition to get a third dose, individuals are encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. West Virginians who are immunocompromised and meet CDC eligibility recommendations are strongly encouraged to choose COVID-19 vaccination, which now includes a third dose for mRNA vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna).
