‘Waiting for this to happen’: Local kidney transplant recipient makes plans to get COVID-19 booster

A local kidney transplant recipient said he’s going to get in line for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as he can for himself, and his young family.

Two and-a-half years ago, Charlie Fink received a kidney transplant from a living donor who was a friend.

When a COVID-19 vaccine was rolled out, Fink got in line and got the Moderna shots in February and March, when AdventHealth started offering them to certain patients.

READ: FDA set to OK booster shots for people with compromised immune systems

But the light dimmed when cases started to surge again. However, good news came Friday when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came out with guidance saying immunocompromised people like Fink should get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to help boost immunity.

“I was kind of waiting for this to happen,” Fink said. “Now the official guidance has come out, so I’m definitely going to get a third shot.”

The CDC is recommending those being treated for cancerous tumors, cancer of the blood, transplant recipients, HIV patients and more should get the shot.

READ: Central Florida transplant recipient gets third COVID-19 vaccine shot ahead of expected approval

CDC officials are recommending immunocompromised people get a third dose of the vaccine they received for the first two doses.

There isn’t enough data yet to show whether immunocompromised people who got the Johnson & Johnson shot would benefit from getting another dose.

READ: COVID-19 cases continue to rise as vaccination rates decline

Video: COVID-19 outbreaks reported at 40 Orange County long-term care facilities While COVID-19 has been under control in Florida’s long-term care facilities for nearly eight months since vaccinations started, many are now seeing a spike. (Lauren Seabrook, WFTV.com)

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