CareSouth Carolina administering third doses of COVID-19 vaccine

CareSouth Carolina is now administering 3rd doses of COVID-19 Vaccine to qualifying individuals.

The FDA has amended the EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) for Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations to allow for a third dose administration in individuals aged 12 and up who are moderately or severely immunocompromised with one of the following health conditions:

• Active or recent treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies.
• Receipt of solid-organ or recent hematopoietic stem cell transplants.
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge, Wiskott-Aldrich syndromes).
• 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.
• Third doses are only for patients who received a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. There is currently no recommendation for patients who received a Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine to receive another vaccine dose.
• The CDC recommends that your third dose be the same product as your first two doses (Moderna or Pfizer), however if that product is unavailable you can receive either Moderna or Pfizer as your third dose.

Third doses for any other patients have NOT been approved at this time.

A doctor’s order is not required for to receive the third dose, however you must sign an attestation statement certifying that you have been diagnosed with one of the above condition.

The third dose must be given at least 28 days after you received your second dose. You must have an appointment. Call your local CareSouth Carolina office to schedule.

*If you are unsure if you have one of the above listed conditions, please consult with your primary care provider who can help you decide if a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine is right for you.

If you would like to receive the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a CareSouth Carolina office location, you can make an appointment or walk-in at one of the days and sites listed below:

Monday:

• CareSouth Carolina Bishopville: 803.484.5317 (545 Sumter Hwy, Bishopville SC 29010) from 9AM to 3PM

Tuesday:

• CareSouth Carolina Chesterfield: 843.623.5080 (204 Perry Wiley Way, Chesterfield, SC) from 9AM to 3PM

Wednesday:

• CareSouth Carolina Hartsville: 843.332.3422 (1268 South Fourth St, Hartsville SC 29550) from 9AM to 3PM

Thursday:

• CareSouth Carolina McColl Health & Wellness Center: 843.523.5751 (3080 Highway 15-401 E, McColl, SC) from 9AM to 3PM

Friday:

• CareSouth Carolina Latta 843.627.6252 (122 Latimer Street, Latta, SC) from 9AM to 3PM
• Rosa Lee Gerald Center: 843.378.4501 (737 South Main Street, Society Hill SC 29593) from 9AM to 3PM
• CareSouth Carolina Cheraw: 843.537.0961 (715 South Doctors Drive Suites A, B, D,E Cheraw SC 29520) from 9AM to 3PM

What is the difference between a booster dose and an additional dose (third dose)?

Sometimes people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised do not build enough (or any) protection when they first get a vaccination. When this happens, getting another dose of the vaccine can sometimes help them build more protection against the disease. In contrast, a “booster dose” refers to another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination, but then that protection decreased over time (this is called waning immunity).

*Please look for information on CareSouth Carolina website in September on booster doses. We are currently NOT offering booster doses. The FDA is still reviewing data and is expected to authorize booster doses in late September.