Jacqueline Coll gives the COVID-19 vaccine to Donna Infante as part of the first round of vaccinations for frontline health care workers at Monadnock Community Hospital Friday.
Jacqueline Coll gives the COVID-19 vaccine to Donna Infante as part of the first round of vaccinations for frontline health care workers at Monadnock Community Hospital Friday. Credit: Staff photo by Ben Conant

For many Granite Staters, more COVID-19 shots are on the horizon.

At a White House press conference Wednesday, the Biden administration said those who received the Pfizer or Moderna shot will be eligible for a booster shot eight months after their last dose.

The extra shot of the mRNA vaccines is now deemed necessary by researchers who have found that immunity begins to wane over time.

“In association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease,” a press release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention read.

Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also likely need a booster shot, though more data needs to be collected before a formal recommendation is issued.

The boosters will become available to the general population on Sep. 20, though mainly health providers and nursing home residents will be eligible at that time. Immunocompromised Granite Staters can get their third dose immediately at local pharmacies or through their primary care providers.

The FDA considers the following groups immunocompromised:

■Those who have been receiving treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.

■Those who have had an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.

■Those who have received a stem-cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.

■Those with certain immunodeficiencies, such as DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome

■Those with advanced or untreated HIV infection.

■Those actively taking a high dose of corticosteroids or other drugs that suppress the immune response.

Americans who meet any of the above criteria can receive their third dose 28 days after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The CDC recommends that people get the same shot they started their series with (for example, if you’ve had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, get a third Pfizer shot). However, if that shot is not available, the CDC committee said a dose of the other mRNA vaccine is acceptable.