FDA Allows Third COVID-19 Vaccine Dose for Certain Immunocompromised People

November 23, 2021

The FDA amended the emergency use authorizations for both the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (PDF) and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (PDF). The amendment allows for a third dose for certain immunocompromised people.

The third dose should be the same vaccine product as the initial two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series which are Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. If the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available, the other mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered.

A person should not receive more than three mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Check with your non-Medicare payor source to see if the third dose is covered. Medicare will pay for a third dose at the same rate as previous doses. This is about $40.

Read the FDA announcement.

Read the CDC’s interim clinical considerations for COVID-19 vaccines.