Sedgwick County Now Offering COVID-19 Third Dose to those with Moderately or Severely Weakened Immune Systems

(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – On Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) will begin providing a no-cost third dose of Pfizer vaccine to people who self-attest to having a moderately or severely weakened immune system and who have previously received two doses of vaccine. Documentation of a qualifying condition is not a requirement. People who can receive a third dose should bring documentation of their first and second doses to the vaccine site.

This comes after Pfizer and Moderna third dose approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). People who can receive the third dose have one or more of the following conditions or treatments:

• Active treatment for solid tumor or hematologic malignancies
• Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
• Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
• 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, TNF blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory

The conditions do not include people who are pregnant, residents of adult care homes, or those with chronic medical conditions unless they have a condition or treatment listed above.

The additional dose is to be administered at least 28 days after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Third dose guidance only applies to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. There is not enough data to determine if an additional dose of Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine will improve the immune response in people with weakened immune systems.

“In order to prevent severe illness and/or death during this pandemic, getting vaccinated is the best protection a person can do to protect themselves and loved ones,” says Adrienne Byrne, director of SCHD.

General SCHD Vaccine Information

The SCHD provides no-cost, walk-in vaccines at the community vaccine clinic at 223 S. Main in Wichita and at clinics around the county (http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/vaccine/clinic-locations/). SCHD provides Pfizer and J&J vaccine at all clinics. All Sedgwick County residents are encouraged to be vaccinated.

For the week of Aug. 16, 2021, the community vaccine clinic at 223 S. Main hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Depending upon demand, clinic days may expand beginning the week of Aug. 23.

SCHD Testing Information

To increase access to COVID-19 testing, beginning Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, the Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) will expand the hours of operation at its COVID-19 sampling site, Sunflower Shelter at Sedgwick County Park, 6501 W. 21st St. New hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

SCHD offers no-cost, walk-in testing to all residents regardless of symptoms. People should enter off of 13th St. and follow the signs located in the park. No appointment is needed. SCHD staff take a nasal, oral or saliva sample to send to a lab for COVID-19 molecular testing. Results are generally available by the afternoon of the next weekday.

If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call (316) 660-1022.

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At this time, the Sedgwick County Health Department only has the Pfizer vaccine available for a third dose. If a person received the first and second dose of Moderna, it is recommended to return to the location you received the Moderna vaccine. They may also check vaccines.gov and search for providers near their location that have it.