With the news that the FDA has approved a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for the Audrain County Health Department is continuing to closely monitor the third dose shot discussions and is beginning to develop clinic plans to administer those third doses.

“We now have the standing orders from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services we were waiting on for the recently approved populations. We are currently developing plans as to how we will proceed with getting those shots to the general public with the guidance that has been given,” ACHD Administrator and CEO Craig Brace said. “This expansion into the new populations by the FDA and CDC is for the Pfizer vaccine only at this time, and our orders from the state only cover the Pfizer vaccine and these new categories.”

This past Thursday, the CDC recommended the Pfizer Covid vaccine booster shots for people 65 and older as well as individuals 18 through 64 years old who are at high risk of developing severe Covid. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky then added individuals 18 through 64 years of age who are frequently exposed to Covid either through their work or “institutional” exposure to the virus are also eligible, which went above and beyond guidelines approved by the CDC’s advisory group last Thursday.

On Monday, the FDA approved the CDC recommendations and included Walensky’s recommendation for the added group to include those workers at risk of exposure in that approval.

Those residents considered high risk include those suffering from cancer, stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, heart conditions or obesity. Also, women who are pregnant and those who smoke are also considered high risk.

Currently, no physician’s order is needed for the third dose shot and residents are asked to self-attest they qualify for the third dose shot.

Brace said ACHD will have Pfizer booster appointment slots available beginning mid-October. In the meantime, Brace encourages area residents to seek out vaccinations at area pharmacies.

“Access to Pfizer is different than Moderna,” said Brace. “Pfizer requires ultra-cold storage and redistribution of the vaccine in smaller quantities than the minimum order of 1,170 doses. These factors make it a little more difficult to make Pfizer third dose shots readily available through the health department.”

Brace said there are no mass vaccination clinics for Audrain County being planned at this time. He says the reasoning for this is because there are now multiple access points through area pharmacies and providers that were not there at the start of the year when the vaccine was first offered.