Guidance expected on COVID-19 booster shots for all vaccinated Americans

Andy Valverde, 46, is a Dallas resident and one of an estimated three percent of Americans who are considered immunocompromised.

DALLAS - Guidance should come this week on COVID-19 booster shots for vaccinated Americans.

But health officials are already encouraging immunocompromised people to get their additional shot.

Andy Valverde, 46, is a Dallas resident and one of an estimated three percent of Americans who are considered immunocompromised.

Last Friday he went to the emergency room for an intestinal blockage and found out he also suffered a breakthrough COVID-19 infection.

"They say I'm asymptomatic, so I was surprised," Valverde said.

Valverde got fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in February and was eager to get his third dose, which was approved for immunocompromised patients by the FDA and CDC last week.

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"I thought about the breakthrough cases. I was like, wow, that's interesting. That's kind of, you know, unnerving. And I was hoping to hear back when it would be time for the follow up vaccination," he said.

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Dr. Mark Casanova, Dallas County Medical Society, says fully vaccinated immunocompromised patients should consider getting their third dose now -- as COVID cases continue to climb.

"They would benefit from a booster injection at this time," Casanova said.

JPS Health Network, Walgreens, and CVS pharmacies in North Texas already offer them to that specific group.

"The Delta variant is breaking through their immunity because they have a weakened immune system to begin with. Those are the folks that we're concentrating on right now," Casanova said.

The White House says President Joe Biden will deliver remarks on COVID-19 and booster shots Wednesday, presumably for the entire population of fully vaccinated Americans.

Questions remain about where the white house is receiving guidance for the recommendation, with some of it likely coming from data collected by other countries. Top public health officials have said a booster shot will likely be needed around eight months after a person is fully vaccinated.

"The theory is, is that would buy us back the protection that has waned -- not because of the weakening of the immune response, but because of the strengthening of the virus, particularly the Delta variant," Casanova said.

Valverde, knowing his diagnosis could have been much worse had he not been fully vaccinated, makes a request of North Texans.

"I would like to stress that it is important to get vaccinated and wear their masks," Valverde said.