Adequate supplies, more providers making COVID-19 booster rollout smooth - cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — What a difference a few months make.

The winter rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines was marked by frustration, crashing websites and too little supply of the shots to meet high demand.

This fall, distribution of third vaccine shots is going much smoother, even though care providers are giving vaccines both to people looking to start their vaccine cycle and those eligible for third shots.

More vaccine availability and more providers ready to give the shots are making a difference, said Jason Briscoe, director of pharmacy at Discount Drug Mart.

“Demand is up, but there’s no longer an issue regarding access to the vaccine,” Briscoe said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently approved booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for Americans in certain populations, including those in high risk occupational and institutional settings.

The CDC recommends that the following groups should receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after completing the first two doses:

• People aged 65 years and older.
• Residents aged 18 years and older in long-term care settings.
• People aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions.

The CDC also recommends that the following groups may receive a Pfizer booster shot at least six months after completing both Pfizer shots, based on their individual benefits and risks:

• People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions.
• People aged 18–64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting. This includes those who work in hospitals and schools.

The FDA and CDC earlier approved third doses of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for certain patients with compromised immune systems who received their first two doses of those vaccines.

“Third doses” are for people who are immunocompromised, and can be Moderna or Pfizer. The term “booster shot” generally refers to the third shots recommended for people who are not immunocompromised but fit in the CDC categories listed above, and refers only to Pfizer shots. Third doses were recommended prior to booster shots.

It is recommended that people get the same type of third shot as their previous doses.

Discount Drug Mart, as well as other local pharmacies and hospitals, said they have adequate supplies of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Patients are not experiencing long lines or delays when receiving their booster dose at Cleveland Clinic,” Dr. Kimberly Giuliano, chair of the department of primary care pediatrics, said in a statement. “We are administering booster doses at several vaccination locations in Northeast Ohio. In addition, eligible patients can receive their booster dose during scheduled primary care appointments at many of our facilities.”

At MetroHealth System, patients occasionally experience delays during peak hours, because there is also a high demand for flu shots, a spokesperson said.

There are longer wait times at some Rite Aid stores due to high demand for walk-in vaccine appointments, the company said. Customers can still go to RiteAid.com and schedule an appointment.

CVS said it is receiving vaccine shots from the federal government as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership. “We continue to meet the demand for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in communities like Cleveland,” a CVS spokesperson said in a statement.

People seeking vaccines now are encountering fewer problems than Ohioans did at the start of the vaccine rollout this winter.

In January, Ohioans 80 and older were required to go down a list of about 90 providers to find the vaccine and make an appointment for the shot. While some older Ohioans had no problems making the arrangements, others found it a time-consuming and frustrating process. Some resorted to driving to neighboring counties to get their vaccines.

Now, it’s easier to find a vaccine shot not only because of increased supply, but also because Pfizer’s stringent cold-storage requirements changed, increasing the number of care providers who can stock it, Briscoe said.

Current Pfizer guidelines allow care providers to use the vaccine’s shipping container as its ultra-cold storage container, as long as it is replenished with dry ice. Doses can be taken out of the ultra-cold container and placed in a temperature-monitored freezer for 30 days, then stored in a refrigerator for 14 days.

Previous guidelines required that the vaccine be kept in ultra-cold storage for longer time periods.

This increased flexibility makes it easier for pharmacies to ensure they have enough doses on hand to meet high demand, Briscoe said.

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available. Here is how eligible patients can get a third dose or booster shot:

Cleveland Clinic

The Clinic offers scheduled appointments at vaccine locations across Greater Cleveland. Individuals can schedule via MyChart or by calling 216-448-4117. Schedulers are available Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Clinic also offers walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations at the Langston Hughes Health and Education Center, 2390 E. 79th St., Cleveland, on Mondays. More information is at clevelandclinic.org/covidvaccine.

Cuyahoga County Board of Health

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health will hold Pfizer booster dose clinics for residents beginning Tuesday, Oct. 12. Up to 750 appointments will be available for each of these clinics.

Clinic dates and locations:

• Tuesday, Oct. 12: The Word Church, 18903 S Miles Rd, Warrensville Heights. Clinic hours will be 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Registration is now open.
• Tuesday, Oct. 19: Tri-C Western Campus Recreation Center, 11000 W Pleasant Valley Rd., Parma. Use Parking Lot D. Clinic hours will be 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Registration is now open.
• Tuesday, Oct. 26: Word Church, 18903 S Miles Rd, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128. Clinic hours will be 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Registration will open on Oct. 13.

To schedule an appointment visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-427-5634 to schedule an appointment. Please bring your vaccination card with you to your appointment.

CVS

Schedule vaccine booster shot appointments at CVS.com. This can help ensure that patients can schedule an appointment at a CVS Pharmacy location that has the same type of vaccine they received initially (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) in stock at the time of their appointment. Walk-ins are also permitted.

Each participating CVS Pharmacy is offering either the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, not all three.

Discount Drug Mart

Due to increased demand, Discount Drug Mart is giving COVID-19 vaccines by appointment only, to ensure a smooth process for those seeking COVID-19 vaccines as well as walk-in customers who want a flu shot. Go to https://clinic.discount-drugmart.com/covid/.

Giant Eagle

Appointments are required to receive any dose of the COVID vaccine. Eligible patients who are interested in receiving their COVID vaccine can search availability and schedule their appointment at https://gianteagle.com/covid

Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

A walk-in COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic for Pfizer booster shots will be held Saturday at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. Clinic hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Attendees must meet all of these criteria:

• Veterans, VA employees and those eligible under the SAVE LIVES Act (veterans, spouses, caregivers and Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) recipients).
• Received a Pfizer COVID-19 primary vaccine series at least six months ago
• Are 65 and older, or people 50-64 years old with underlying medical conditions as identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The clinic will be held on the second floor of the Main Atrium of the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd.

MetroHealth System

Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted. Patients can schedule an appointment at a MetroHealth pharmacy. Talk to your healthcare provider about questions concerning eligibility for the shots.

Rite Aid

Rite Aid customers may receive their booster dose at Rite Aid regardless of where they received their primary series. Eligible customers may walk in immediately, or schedule an appointment at https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/scheduler.

Southwest General Health Center

The hospital is not offering the Pfizer booster shot, because the majority of its patients received the Moderna vaccine, a spokeswoman said.

Summa Health

The hospital system is working on a plan to provide COVID-19 boosters for the community, and will provide updates when they are available.

University Hospitals

Appointments for third-shot boosters are necessary; call 216-302-0181 to schedule.

Walgreens

Same-day, walk-in appointments are available at select Walgreens stores. New patients to Walgreens seeking a booster shot will be asked to verify eligibility when the appointment is scheduled and at the time of the appointment.

Schedule a COVID-19 booster shot and additional immunizations at Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine, by calling 1-800-Walgreens or by calling a local Walgreens.

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