UPDATE
Effective August 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommend that people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised receive an additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) at least 28 days after the completion of the initial mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.
We are following the CDC and FDA's recommendation and offering a 3rd dose (booster shot) of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to people who meet the CDC's criteria for being moderately to severely immunocompromised.
What is the CDC's criteria for being moderately to severely immunocompromised?
The CDC defines moderately to severely immunocompromised as including people who have a variety of conditions.
This includes people who have:
- Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
- Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
- Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.
COVID-19 booster shots will be given by appointment only; you must have received dose 1 and dose 2 of the Pfizer vaccine. If you are a current TBHC patient age 12+ who fits into the above criteria and have received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least four weeks ago, you may schedule an appointment for a booster shot. Please note that we are only able to provide booster shots to people who have previously received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
How do I schedule a vaccine booster shot appointment at TBHC if I meet the CDC criteria?
You may schedule your vaccine booster shot appointment here: https://mychart.tbh.org/mychart/covid19#/
Do I need something from my doctor that proves I fit into the CDC immunocompromised category?
No. When you schedule your booster shot appointment, you will be asked to attest to meeting the CDC criteria for immunocompromised people. It's important to be truthful so that we can ensure that those people who are immunocompromised can get a COVID-19 booster shot sooner. We appreciate your understanding and integrity, which helps us care for our most vulnerable patients first.
When will COVID-19 booster shots be available to everyone else?
The federal government has recommended booster shots for people eight months after they have received the second dose of the vaccine. However, the booster recommendation has not yet been approved by the FDA and CDC. We will continue to monitor this process and provide updates as we have more information.
If I have another COVID-19 booster shot question, where can I get more information?
Please see our website for more information about COVID-19 booster shots. We will continue to update the website with new information as it becomes available.
The Brooklyn Hospital Center is administering COVID-19 vaccine to persons who meet New York State’s eligibility criteria, currently New Yorkers 12 years old and up.
To schedule your appointment, complete the following steps:
- Schedule an appointment by clicking the red button to the right.
- Complete the New York State COVID-19 Vaccine Form
Bring a printout of the completed form (from step 2 above) with you or have the completed form on your cell phone or tablet to show. Please bring a valid photo ID and insurance card.
IMPORTANT: If you do not see any available appointments, check back at a later date. Appointment dates are made available as we receive and confirm that we have doses available. You can also check vaccine availability at other locations at the NYC vaccine finder site.
Do not schedule a vaccine appointment if you:
- Recently had a COVID vaccine elsewhere
- Are feeling sick (delay until feeling better)
- Currently positive for COVID 19
- Received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of COVID-19 treatment in the last 90 days
Take care of your CDC vaccination card!
TBHC is not able to provide replacements for lost or damaged CDC vaccination cards. Be sure to keep it in a safe, secure place, such as a file with other important documents like passports or birth certificates. Consider scanning your card to be stored in a safe digital location, or taking a photo with your smartphone as a backup, in addition to your physical copy.
To print or download your COVID vaccine records, go to https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/excelsior-pass. You can store your Pass digitally on your smartphone with the Excelsior Pass Wallet app, available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You can also print your Pass from the Excelsior Pass website. You will need to enter your date of birth, county of vaccination (Kings), the type of vaccine (Pfizer), and the date of your second dose. The system will only recognize your information TWO WEEKS after your second dose.
