Hy-Vee offering free, third vaccine doses for immunocompromised patients

(ABC 6 News) -Hy-Vee is now offering free, third Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses are available at its more than 275 pharmacies in eight states. beginning Saturday, Aug. 14.

The new doses, recently approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are only recommended for severely to moderately immunocompromised individuals at this time.

At this time, Janssen (J&J) vaccine recipients will NOT be administered additional COVID-19 vaccine doses until authorized by the FDA and CDC.

The third doses are currently available to eligible patients on a walk-in basis, with no appointment necessary.

Each of the new COVID-19 vaccine doses is free to patients, regardless of their insurance coverage.

According to the CDC, the third Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna doses should only be administered to immunocompromised individuals at least 28 days after their second dose. It is strongly recommended that individuals receive the same vaccine manufacturer as their previous dose(s). At this time, there is not an additional vaccine dose authorized for Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine recipients.

The CDC outlines what conditions are considered severely to moderately immunocompromised here. According to the CDC, individuals will need to self-attest that they are severely to moderately immunocompromised but do not need to show proof of their condition. Hy-Vee recommends all pharmacy patients bring their COVID-19 vaccination record card with them to their appointment, which shows when they received their last COVID-19 vaccine dose and the vaccine manufacturer.