COVID-19 booster shots will be available to some Hoosiers beginning in late September.
White House and public health officials announceda new plan for Pfizer and Moderna booster shots last weekafter concludingthat the vaccines'protectionagainst mild and moderate infectionsdecreases over time.That waning immunity —compounded by the dominance of the Delta variant —is a cause for concern among health officials, who worry the "pattern of decline" will continue in the months ahead.
"We know that even highly effective vaccines become less effective over time," U.S. Surgeon GeneralDr. Vivek Murthy said in a recent press briefing."Our goal has been to determine when that time might come for the COVID-19 vaccines, so we can make a plan to take proactive steps to extend and enhance the protections the vaccines are giving us."
Health officials stress that the vaccines, even currently without the booster shots, remaineffective against the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. The plan for boosters, which is pending FDA authorization,is meant to prolong protection "in the context of a constantly changing virus."It willgo into place beginning Sept. 20 for those who received the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
More:COVID-19 booster shot for Pfizer, Moderna vaccines will be available Sept. 20
In Indiana, that means the more than2.8 million Hoosiers who received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will eventually be eligible to receive booster shots— some sooner than others, depending on when they got fully vaccinated.
Here's what else we knowabout getting a booster shot in Indiana:
When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in Indiana?
Most Hoosierswill be eligible for their booster shot 8 months after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. That means those who first got vaccinated —health care workers, nursing home residentsand seniors — will be first in line for the booster shots.
A small group of Hoosiers have already been receiving third doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines due to certain health conditions.
On Aug. 12, the FDA authorized a third dose forimmunocompromised Americans, including people undergoing cancer treatment and those who have receivedorgan transplants. Though it is an extra dosefor immunocompromised people,CDCofficials are not necessarilycalling it a "booster" since it becomes a normal part of the person's vaccination series, according to USA TODAY.
Dec. 2020:6 health care workers in Fort Wayne receive Indiana's first coronavirus vaccine doses
For those in Indiana who might meet the CDC'simmunocompromised standards, the IndianaDepartment of Health recommendstalking to your health care provider about whether you need an additional dose."A physician’s order is not necessary to receive a third dose, but the vaccination provider may ask for verbal confirmation of eligibility," according toISDH.
Pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS began administering doses for immunocompromised people soon after the announcement. At CVS, some pharmacies are accepting walk-ins and scheduling appointments online. On the CVS website,the scheduler asksyou to confirm whetheryouneed a second dose only or "an extra dose (for patients with weakened immunity)."
At Walgreens, vaccines formoderately to severely immunocompromised people are available via walk-ins. If you want to book an appointment online though,the company is "in the process" of updating theironline scheduler, a Walgreens spokesperson told IndyStar.
Why do I need a booster if I'm not immunocompromised?
Thedifference between an immunocompromisedperson receiving a third dose and someone elsereceiving a "booster" dose lies in the person's immune system.
Those with weaker immune systems may need a third dose for "insurance" to make sure the initial doses worked in the first place, explainedMelissa McMasters, theadministrator for the immunizations and infectious disease programat the Marion County Public Health Department.
For the general public, a booster dose acts as additional supporttoincrease the level of antibodies fightingthe coronavirus.
Boosters are not a new concept, as various vaccines can require booster shots to remain effective and maintain immunity.Thetetanus-diphtheria vaccine, for example, is recommended for adults every 10 years. The flu shot is also recommended every year as the influenza viruses evolveeach season.
"A booster dosewould just kind of up that level of antibody,hopefully providing extended protection and then possibly additional protection against the Delta variant,"said McMasters, who is also a nurse.
The Pfizer vaccine's booster is shown to provide more antibodies, too.Results from a Pfizer and BioNTech clinical trial, released Wednesday, found that the Pfizer booster shot provided about three times more antibodies compared to the second dose. The study was conducted with306 people between the ages of18 and 55.
The trial's resultscome just two days after the Pfizer vaccine receivedofficial FDA approval.
Pfizer vaccine:Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine becomes first to win FDA's full approval
Can I get a booster shot if I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
Health officials anticipate booster shots will also be needed for the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. They haven't announced a plan just yet because J&J was authorized for useafter the other vaccines, so they are still awaiting more data.
"Weexpect more data on J&J in the next few weeks," HHS officials said in a recent statement. "With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J booster shots as well."
In Indiana, that meansmore than 200,000 Hoosiers would be eligible for aJ&J booster, making up about 8% of the state's total fully vaccinated people so far. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines continue to be the more popular vaccines, with more than 2.8 million Hoosiers fully vaccinated thanks to both two-dose vaccines.
J&J vaccine:
What will the process look like?
The process of administeringthe booster shots will likely be similar to how Hoosiers have been getting vaccinated over the last few months, according toMcMasters.Marion County will continue to receiveallocated vaccine supply from the state, and people can continue to visit the same vaccination sites and clinics.
Pharmacies, which have played a key role in vaccination efforts, arealso awaiting guidance from the FDA and CDC regarding the booster shots for the greater population.
"We ... feel confident we have the pharmacy expertise, infrastructure and local community presence to accelerate access to these vaccinations," a Walgreens spokesperson told IndyStarin an emailed statement.
"As we await further guidance and approval from regulatory agencies, we’re fully prepared to play a leading role in providing booster shots this fall," CVS Health stated in a news release.
To get a booster shot,McMasters recommended bringing your vaccination card "so that you'll have a complete vaccination card to show" afterwards. You're not necessarilyrequired to show the card because your vaccination record is already in the state registry.
Related:If you lost your Indiana COVID vaccine card, here's how to get a new one
Will there be side effects?
The booster shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine mayhaveside effects, if any, similar to the initial doses.
"Anytime you get a vaccine, your immune system turns onand that can cause that achiness, a little slight fever, that type of thing," McMasters said."And we've seen that with first doses, we've seen it with second (doses).You probably will see it with third. Some people (with)all three doseshave experienced side effects. Some people don't. So it really kind of varies."
Pfizer and BioNTech's recent clinical trial alsofound that the side effects of the third dose were "typically mild to moderate," andconsistent with previous doses.
Will this be the same as the first two shots?
The main thing that may be different about the booster shots is the dosage and the potential for new supply.
"There's talk though with a booster dose,it might be a smaller dose,"McMasters said. "It might be a little different variant of the vaccine to kind of counteract (the)delta variant. It's really not clear,those are ongoing studiesright now that are happening that will kind of shape what that looks like then, come Sept. 20."
The county, and the rest of the country will have more answers after the FDAconducts an independentevaluation on the effectiveness ofbooster doses. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practiceswill also review evidence andissue dose recommendations before the final planis implemented.
And if there is an increased demand for vaccinations and booster shots,thehealth department is ready toopen larger scale clinics, according toMcMasters.
'Our hospitals are at capacity'
The anticipation for booster shots reflects the shifting reality of the war againstcoronavirus,despite so many people getting shots in arms.
In Indiana, COVID cases continue to climb, especially among young people.On Wednesday, the state reached more than 2,000 hospitalizations— the highest number since January.And though more than 3 million Hoosiers are now fully vaccinated, that's only about 52% of the state's eligible population.
More:Indiana tops 5,000 new COVID cases as surge worsens
Most of the hospitalizations and deaths are occurring among Hoosiers who are not vaccinated.
"Our hospitals are at capacity,"McMasters said."And the vast majority of those in-patients that are sick with COVID are unvaccinated. So that can be a little challenging when you're in health care, when you know that this severe illness could have been prevented if they'd only been vaccinated."
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
Contact Rashika Jaipuriar atrjaipuriar@gannett.comandfollow her on Twitter @rashikajpr.
