The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s University Health Services will now offer a third “booster” shot of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine to students and employees. UHS is offering the third dose of Moderna or Pfizer to eligible students and employees who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and may have not received adequate production from the first two doses.
The availability of booster shots was announced in a campus-wide email Thursday evening. Currently, UHS is not providing the booster for those who received the Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccines, due to a lack of CDC recommendations.
Currently, more than 92 percent of students and 93 percent of employees at UW-Madison are fully vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends that individuals ages 65 and over, anyone ages 18 and older that are in a long-term care facility and people ages 50 to 64 with certain medical conditions should receive the third shot from Pfizer at least six months after the second dose.
The CDC also allows those who are at an increased risk of exposure and transmission in the workplace to COVID-19, between the ages of 18 and 64. The Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services recommends consulting a health care provider to discuss the benefits and risks.
Students who are not fully vaccinated can make an appointment for free and get a COVID-19 shot.
