Utah Family Pharmacy makes it easy to get vaccinated or get your booster shot. With limited availability of all 3 Vaccines, please call your local pharmacy to find out what vaccines are being offered currently. To get tested for COVID-19, go to your local pharmacy and call us from your car when you arrive.
Schedule a COVID-19 Vaccine or Booster
What are Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots?
A COVID booster shot is a booster dose of a vaccine given after the immunity gained by the initial vaccination(s) begins to wane.
This means the covid-19 vaccine you receive is intended to remain functional for a specific period before you are required to go in for a second or third shot.
Boosters are typically administered to help users achieve a stronger level of immunity against Covid-19 for an extended period.
Who Should Receive Pfizer Booster and 3rd Moderna Vaccine Shots?
People who received their first and second Moderna vaccines and are immunocompromised are mostly advised to obtain a third shot, mostly 28 days after the 2nd shot. Receiving the third dose will help them develop enough antibody response to keep them going for a longer time.
This recommendation given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) applies to people living with HIV with low CD4 count and those living with cancer.
An immunocompromised person is one who:
- suffers from advanced or untreated HIV
- has cancer and has been undergoing active cancer treatments for blood cancers or tumors
- is taking medicine to suppress their immune system after receiving an organ transplant
- is receiving active treatment with drugs that may suppress their immune response
- has been given a transplant of stem cell within the past two years
Such groups should receive their 3rd dose at least four weeks after the second dose of Moderna vaccines.
There’s still no clear vaccine booster recommendation for people who received the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. However, those who received Pfizer or Moderna can get boosters or third shots, especially for immunocompromised patients.
People with compromised immune systems for one reason or the other are less likely to exhibit high antibody levels even after receiving the 1st and 2nd shots of Moderna vaccines.
That’s why a third shot is crucial for a boost to their immunity. But this might still not be enough to boost some immunocompromised people’s immunity, so they might keep hoping for more oncoming shots in the future.
Covid-19 Booster Shots
One general question people ask when coming for booster shots is how the booster shots work in people with normal immunity. Is it necessary to have a booster shot when you have adequate immunity?
Most people fail to understand they can have normal/adequate immunity that can ‘wan’ or fade over time. This is why it’s crucial for people with normal immunity to take a third shot for improved immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Also, since the SARS-CoV-2 virus keeps mutating, it is only best if everyone keeps boosting their immunity against the latest variant after mutation. In fact, with the entrance of the Delta variant, more people are encouraged to go for the third dose.
At Utah Family Pharmacy, we offer Covid-19 booster shots to Pfizer or Moderna vaccine recipients who already completed their previous shots six or more months ago. These persons should be:
- 18 years or older working or living in a high-risk setting
- 18 years or older living in long-term care centers
- 18 years or older and are actively seeking treatment for their underlying medical conditions
- more than 65 years old
The process of administering a vaccine booster is easy and should take up to 15 minutes in normal cases. Our team is always in wait and equipped to screen every patient and administer the shots to qualified persons within the shortest time.
The Difference between a Covid-19 Third Shot and a Booster Vaccine
Many people confuse a Covid-19 third shot vaccine and a booster vaccine. The two are different, but both effectively administer the necessary doses of vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19.
Doctors will more often describe the differences between a third covid-19 vaccine and a booster shot to their patients.
A third dose is a term used to refer to the additional shot administered to people who have compromised immune systems. A third dose is a great way to help immunocompromised people achieve the desired levels of antibodies that can fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
A patient can only receive a third dose of the same vaccine series as their first two shots. Meaning, you cannot take the first two shots of Pfizer and now come for a third Moderna shot.
That said, a booster shot is the vaccine shot a patient receives six months after the second dose. It is mainly administered to people with normal/adequate immunity but experiences a decline of immunity against Covid-19 over time. This decline in immunity is often referred to as waning and is prevalent in people aged 18 years and above.
A booster shot is also highly recommended because of the mutating nature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For instance, getting a Pfizer booster shot can improve a patient’s chances of recovery against the symptoms of the Delta variant.
If you’re older or suffer from a chronic disease, you’re more likely to experience waning immunity and thus be eligible for a booster vaccine shot.
The third shot for immunocompromised individuals is not a choice they can decide not to take because studies have shown the first two doses are never enough to boost their immunity.
Where can you find Reliable Covid-19 Vaccines and Booster Shots?
The best place to find reliable vaccine shots and booster doses are at your local Utah Family Pharmacy. We’ve seen the impact of this virus on our patients firsthand, so we’re keenly aware that this is the best time to help you prepare for any future outbreaks
We provide Covid-19 vaccines free of charge. Besides, we’re also going to be filling prescriptions of Ivermectin, and we’re issuing the 3rd Moderna shots and Pfizer booster vaccines for all qualified persons.
We also have an educative team that will administer the vaccines and reminds you of practical methods to protect yourself and everyone else around you.