As more information about COVID-19 booster shots becomes available, Dr. Dan Edney, a local physician and chief medical officer for the Mississippi State Department of Health, chose to share with readers his knowledge of the booster. 

“The booster is simply another dose of the vaccine and is administered to those with a more healthy immune system, but who are at a higher risk due to other health issues like age and were vaccinated more than six to eight months ago,” Edney said. 

Although not yet FDA approved, Edney said, boosters are being recommended based on observations of antibody levels in patients in clinical trials and on the medical consensus of what doctors think needs to be done, currently. 

“(Administering boosters is) also based on our ongoing clinical experience with vaccine breakthroughs,” he said. 

Edney said he supports boosters for those who are high-risk but on a “case by case basis” at the discretion of a patient’s physician. 

Criteria for getting a booster shot can depend on the level of a patient’s antibodies, Edney said, but this should be left up to the physician. 

“Personally, if I’m concerned (about administering a booster) but there is not a definite indication, I use levels to help me decide,” he said. 

Receiving a “third dose” of the vaccine has been approved under the FDA Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer and Moderna for those who are immunocompromised. 

Edney said he fully supports administering third doses to those who are on immunosuppressive drugs, taking chemotherapy and have active cancer. 

“We have seen a 10-fold increase in protections with patients receiving a third dose and we currently recommend for them to get a third dose 28 days after the second dose,” Edney said. 

During the week of Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, 93 cases were reported in Warren County. However, COVID-like Illness Visits during that week dropped from 57 on Aug. 28 to 23 in the week of Sept. 4.

Two new COVID-19 deaths were recorded in Warren County between Aug. 20 and Sept. 16.

 Statewide, COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased from the peak of 1,667 on Aug. 19 to 1,097 on Sept. 13.