UT Health Rio Grande Valley is now offering a third dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to UTRGV students, staff and faculty who meet certain prerequisites.
This booster shot is meant to extend the effect of the initial two doses, with eligible recipients being determined via Center for Disease Control guidelines.
According to an email from UTRGV Announcements, for someone to be eligible for a booster shot from UT Health RGV they must meet any of the following criteria:
· Age 65 years or older and received a second Pfizer shot at least six months ago. · Age 12 or older and moderately to severely immunocompromised and who received a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 28 days ago. · Age 18-64 with an underlying medical condition and who received second Pfizer shot at least six months ago. · Age 18 and up with feelings of being at risk for severe COVID-19 due to institutional or occupational exposure (at least six months after receiving a second Pfizer shot).
Unless immunocompromised most criteria require that you received the Pfizer vaccine for the first two doses.
Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at UT Health RGV Michael Dobbs explains the benefits of receiving a booster shot.
“It appears that the immune response that your body makes from the vaccine to be able to fight off the virus if exposed to it, diminishes over time,” Dobbs said. “The third shot is offered as a way to boost up that immunity again to, one hopes, the point that you’d be able to effectively fight off virus if exposed to it. It’s really not much different than the people need to get a periodic measles vaccine as an example, in order to maintain your long-term immunity.”
Freshman English major Renato Chavez believes vaccination is a necessary step to getting the pandemic under control.
Asked how he feels about booster shots Chavez said
“I’m not opposed to it, I’m gonna get it when it’s my time to get it… I think if you’ve gotten the first two doses, I think you should get the booster.”
Junior Biology major Grecia Espinoza, believes vaccines are valuable and should be taken even if they don’t eliminate the virus or chance of infection.
“Its actually gonna help you, it’s not gonna make you immune to the virus itself but its gonna help you out, just in case you get the virus it’s not gonna be as bad.”
For more information on COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots visit cdc.gov or uthealthrgv.org.
This is Will Bennett with Vaquero Radio.
