Prevea Health now offering COVID-19 vaccine boosters for immunocompromised

SHEBOYGAN COUNTY — Prevea Health announced last week that it will now be offering an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for moderately to severely immunocompromised patients and community members.

Following the recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), this includes people who have:

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory

The third dose can be administered at least four weeks, or 28 days, after a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna (mRNA) vaccines. 

Appointments are required, but those receiving their vaccine do not have to be an established Prevea patient to receive one at any location. Schedule appointments online at myprevea.com or by calling 1-833-344-4373.

Here are the locations in Sheboygan County currently offering appointments:

• Prevea Kohler Health Center — 950 Woodlake Road (Available Thursdays and Saturdays)
• Prevea Oostburg Health Center —15 S. 10th St., Suite A (Available Tuesdays)
• Prevea Plymouth Health Center — 825 Walton Drive (Available Wednesdays)
• Prevea Sheboygan Health Center — 1411 N. Taylor Drive (Available Mondays and Tuesdays)

As of Aug. 23, the CDC is not recommending any additional doses or booster shots for any other population. Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have also not been recommended to receive an additional dose at this time.

“The data has shown that immunocompromised people have experienced a lower immune response to the initial vaccine series. This population is vulnerable and the additional dose can improve this population’s protection against COVID-19,” said Dr. Ashok Rai, President and CEO, Prevea Health. “Cases continue to increase in Wisconsin and we will continue make every effort to vaccinate our community members.”