CIRCLEVILLE — OhioHealth is reporting that people are calling and asking about updates on the COVID-19 vaccination in regards to a potential booster shot.
OhioHealth released information and guidance from the CDC that only immunocompromised people are recommended to seek one out.
“Right now, as of this point in time, there is only one recommendation for a third dose and that is for people who have a condition that makes them considered as moderately or severely immunocompromised,” Joe Gastaldo, MD, medical director of infectious diseases, OhioHealth said.
“That is roughly three percent of the population, transplant patients, people with biological agents and with untreated HIV. It does not include someone with COPD or who is diabetic.
In this setting, it’s for people who received the mRNA vaccine, Pfizer and Moderna,” he said. “There is no guidance for the Johnson & Johnson. The third dose should be given at least 28 days from the second dose and you should take the same vaccine as you did before.”
The CDC recommends a booster for the people with the following conditions: those who are receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, organ transplant recipients taking medicine to suppress their immune systems, moderate or sever primary immunodeficiency such as DiGeorge syndrome and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, advanced or untreated HIV infection, and people in treatment with high-dose corticosteroids and other drugs that may suppress the immune system.
At the same time, Gastaldo said people don’t need a doctor’s orders to receive a third dose and that earlier this month, the CDC announced that as early as September, they’re likely to have further recommendations on a third dose.
“It’ll be the same vaccine, but since it’s for a new variation, a new study has to be done,” Gastaldo said. “They’re likely to have recommendations for a third dose to everyone else who has been vaccinated more than eight months ago.”
Gastaldo said Ohio is in the midst of the Delta variant surge.
“Today’s positive numbers were very high and very concerning,” he said. “At the hospital, we’re trying to walk and chew gum at the same time. What’s most concerning is staff capacity, we don’t have enough healthcare workers.”
Gastaldo said there are contingency plans in place for if or when things get worse, such as pulling back on elective cases.
“That’s a very difficult discussion to have with the community, but we need the community to work with us to get the COVID numbers down.”
Gastaldo said it’s about more than just getting vaccinated, like following other health recommendations. Currently, Pickaway County is lagging behind the statewide average of 65 percent of the population fully vaccinated at 40.6 percent.
“Regardless of your vaccination status is the recommendation if you live in an area that is defined as having a high or substantial spread to wear a mask indoors,” he said. “That’s not happening in Franklin County and I’d bet it’s not happening in Pickaway County.”
Gastaldo said things are essentially back to where they were earlier in the pandemic and that if things don’t turn around, they could be as bad in Ohio as they are in the South.
“We may have to make some difficult choices and that’s reflected with what’s going on in the south in Jacksonville and New Orleans,” he said. “Their ICUS are near 100 percent capacity and we’re headed in the same direction in Ohio.”
Gastaldo said there are no mandates because of legislation that passed in the Ohio General Assembly to limit the emergency powers of the governor.
“All we have available is a health advisory and that advisory is for people to wear masks while indoors, regardless of vaccination status,” he said. “People aren’t doing it.”
Gastaldo shared his frustration in the polarization of the issue and the potential harm of anti-vaccine legislation.
“Right now, at the state level, there is a Medical Freedoms Act happening that will outlaw any vaccine requirement, including childhood vaccines. Under the Medical Freedom Act, the senate is deliberating on a bill to rescind any vaccine order in Ohio. That could be for COVID-19, chicken pox, measles or anything.
I’m a board certified infectious disease doctor and this is what I do. There are people giving testimony who are revered as experts, but they’re not. They are given a platform where people think they know what they’re talking about is factually correct, but it’s not.”
Gastaldo also called for communication and for people to be more caring and understanding of others.
“I’m from a rural county myself, Tuscarawas, and I know there are cultural difference between rural and metropolitan areas, but we have more in common than we don’t and we have to talk to each other from a vantage point of caring and understanding,” he said.
