Mississippi is breaking ranks with national guidance as health officials are encouraging immunocompromised but fully vaccinated residents to ask their doctor about a potential coronavirus booster dose. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control say it is too early for vaccine boosters because fully vaccinated residents should have lasting immunity. Coronavirus vaccine manufacturer Moderna says boosters may be needed just before the winter months. But State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says that option should be available to immunocompromised residents sooner rather than later.
“Very clearly the data demonstrates that people with weakened immune systems, cancer patients, transplant patients, people on immunosuppressant drugs, do not have an adequate response,” says Dr. Dobbs. “And we have seen that both anecdotally in the state of Mississippi and in studies that additional doses do generate immunity where none existed previously.”
Currently, no coronavirus vaccines have full FDA approval, and Mississippi’s guidance for booster shots does not comply with the emergency use authorizations issued by the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Dobbs says there is data that supports the effectiveness of boosters, and says there are legal protections for health providers who would like to offer booster shots.
Dr. Dobbs says “In Mississippi state law, during a state of emergency and a year thereafter there is immunity from liability from good faith efforts to treat people with COVID. And following public health guidelines. I’m not a lawyer, but if it’s the right thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. And I think for some people it’s the right thing to do.”
Health officials say if someone originally received the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine should be used as the booster shot.
