CHARLESTON, W.Va. — What’s the difference between a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine and a booster shot?
It seems to be creating some confusion among residents across the Mountain State particularly among those who have been fully vaccinated.
So MetroNews went to state Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh and state InterAgency Task Force Director Jim Hoyer for some explanation.
Marsh said there is a difference between the two terms even though the shot is the same.
A third shot of the vaccine, which has been approved by the Centers for Disease Control, is for people who have had organ transplants or getting active chemotherapy or suffer from a disease that lessens their immune system. In other words their immune systems are suppressed. Marsh said studies show the first two vaccinations did not generate a good enough response against COVID-19. He said a third shot does.
“There was response in people who didn’t respond before but there was a real augmented response, a much more powerful response, in people who responded poorly (previously),” Marsh said.
The third shots are currently available and they are being administered in clinics across West Virginia.
Meanwhile, the booster shot is for people who have been fully vaccinated, generally healthy people, but need the booster because the potency of the vaccine decreases over time, Marsh said.
“We’re trying to boost up, make more powerful, and bring more immediate activation of the immune system, so if the immune system comes in contact with the Delta variant, the immune system will respond much more vigorously,” Marsh said.
President Joe Biden has said the booster will be widely available beginning Sept. 20. Gov. Jim Justice, Marsh, Hoyer and others in West Virginia have been seeking approval from the federal government to begin the distribution earlier in West Virginia.
Hoyer said that’s particularly important in nursing homes because West Virginia vaccinated nursing home residents earlier than any other state.
“We are past the eight-month point and we know we are seeing breakthrough cases in our nursing homes and the governor is intent on us protecting our most vulnerable population,” Hoyer said. “So we’re going to be pressing to try and get that date moved up because we know we’ve got to get those additional doses in our population.”
The confusion seems to come with some residents deciding to go ahead and get their booster shots even through they don’t have a compromised immune system. Marsh said several factors are making some anxious to get the booster shot including various media reports and the fact that they’ve been vaccinated for several months.
Marsh said most residents don’t to rush to get the booster.
“Just to reassure people, we know today that having full vaccination is still extremely protective against having severe disease or hospitalization or ICU admission or death from COVID-19,” Marsh said.
It’s specific sub-group of people who could COVID in what’s called a breakthrough case. According to studies out of Israel, it includes those who are fully vaccinated, who are older than 65 and were vaccinated at beginning of the pandemic. They have pre-existing or co-existing medical conditions. That’s why Marsh and others are pushing for the booster shots to be available before Sept. 20 for the nursing home population where there have already been breakthrough cases.
Hoyer said when the boosters are approved there won’t be a vaccine supply problem in West Virginia.
“We’ll have plenty of vaccines and we’ll work with a variety of care providers to get those in the right places and people can get that booster quickly,” Hoyer said.
Both Marsh and Hoyer said being vaccinated remains the key.
“Most West Virginians in hospitals today are people who are not vaccinated,” Marsh said.
Hoyer said he’s asking people to think about their responsibility to others.
“I would ask more people to give that a second thought about your responsibility for the greater good of West Virginia and the country,” Hoyer said. “Give it another thought about what you can do to prevent the spread of this.”