In a release from the Arizona Department of Health Services on August 23, 2021, “The Food and Drug Administration, in a critical step toward ending the pandemic, today granted full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in those 16 and older. It will be marketed under the brand name Comirnaty. This vaccine remains available to ages 12 to 15 under an FDA emergency use authorization.” The has changed the status from “emergency use authorization”.
The release goes on to explain, “During July and the first half of August, better than 86% of COVID-19 cases have occurred among those who aren’t fully vaccinated. In general, fully vaccinated individuals who still contract COVID-19 will have milder and sometimes even no symptoms. Meanwhile, 91% of those hospitalized during July and 86% of those who died from COVID-19 in July weren’t fully vaccinated.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also officially signed off on a recommendation by an independent panel of 11 experts to allow people with weakened immune function to get a third dose of certain COVID-19 vaccines.
At this time, WCH does not have a date from Arizona Department of Health as to when the 3rd doses for the vaccine will be released. Once this date is released WCH will provide as much information as possible on appointments being made available at the Wickenburg Community Clinic.
There are two important steps each community member can take if they are seeking their third dose;
- All recipients need to stay with same vaccine they previously had
- Each person MUST have their vaccine card with them otherwise the medical team will not be able to verify if timing is appropriate for a 3rd vaccine.
The third doses are intended for patients who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, in close consultation with their doctors, but that people who should qualify would include those:
- Receiving treatment for solid tumors or blood cancers
- Taking immunosuppressing medications after a solid organ transplant
- Within 2 years of receiving CAR-T therapy or a stem cell transplant
- Who have primary immunodeficiencies – rare genetic disorders that prevent the immune system from working properly
- Taking high-dose corticosteroids (more than 20 milligrams of or its equivalent daily), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, chemotherapy, TNF blockers, or other immunomodulating or immunosuppressing biologics
- With certain chronic medical conditions, such as or asplenia – living without a spleen
- Receiving dialysis
As of August 30th, 2021 Arizona Department of Health Services confirms the following COVID-19 cases: (Changes occurred between August 24th and August 30th)
- Maricopa County 640,002 – Increase of 13,128
- Yavapai County 23,499 – Increase of 559
- Yarnell (85362) 31– Increase of 2
- Congress (85332) 56 & Aguila (85320) 117 – No Change
- Morristown (85342) 128 – Increase of 4
- Wickenburg (85390) 840– Increase of 3
- Wittmann (85361) 686 – Increase of 19
