Personal Physicians
David Katzman, MD & Jennifer DeLaney, MD Internal Medicine Specialists


Flu Shots

Please read this email all the way through as our procedure for scheduling flu shots this year has changed.

With the coronavirus still circulating, it’s important to get your influenza vaccine (flu shot) 
again this year. It’s estimated that during the 2019-2020 flu season, the flu shot prevented 7.52 million illnesses, 3.69 million medical visits, 105,000 hospitalizations, and 6,300 deaths.
 

An annual flu shot is recommended for all people 6 months or older who do not have contraindications. It’s particularly important for anyone 50 and older and/or those with a compromised immune system or chronic health condition, those who are pregnant, those living in a long-term care facility, and those living with or caring for people in these categories. The CDC recommends getting your flu shot by the end of October, so you have adequate coverage through the flu season. Vaccinating against the flu will not only keep you stronger to fight off COVID-19, but also will help conserve healthcare resources.


If you qualify for a COVID booster per the article below, there is no need to space the booster from your flu shot.

 

Our office will be providing both a regular dose vaccine and a high dose vaccine. The high dose is recommended for anyone ages 65 and older. Both contain four strains of virus: two A strains and two B strains.

As we did for the COVID vaccine clinics, we will be providing the flu shots in Suite 104 just down the hall from our office.


To expedite the process, please observe the following:


Flu shots will be offered from 9:30-11:30a and 1:15-3:30p on the following dates except as noted:


Wednesday, October 6

Thursday, October 7 (1:15-3:30p only)
Wednesday, October 13
Wednesday, October 20

 

Please click here to schedule an appointment through SignUp Genius. If you do not have access to schedule an appointment, please call our office at 314-993-1200, and we will be happy to help you schedule a time. Please note: Also, we will not be able to accommodate walk-ins.

 

*If you already have an office appointment scheduled in September or October, you may choose to receive the flu vaccine at that time.

Do I Need a COVID Booster?
David Katzman, MD
We have been getting many questions about a booster or 3rd dose of the COVID Vaccine. I know its been rather confusing this past month with information conflicting daily. I am hoping to clear this up as much as possible.

On August 13 the FDA, under emergency use authorization, approved the Pfizer and Moderna booster vaccine for those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, which represents 2.7% of the population. People falling into this group are those with hematologic cancers, on active treatment cancer drugs, organ transplant recipients, advanced HIV/AIDS, and on immunosuppressant medications including steroids for auto-immune conditions. This was a very straightforward authorization; though in practice many patients who did not meet these criteria received booster shots, either due to the laxity of the vaccine giver or perhaps to some stretching of the truth by the recipient.

Then on August 18, President Biden announced that booster shots would be available after September 20 to all Americans eight months after their second Pfizer/Moderna vaccine — PROVIDED REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE FDA.

This past Friday, an advisory panel to the FDA which reviewed pertinent data regarding questionable waning immunity to the Pfizer vaccine (there is no such data yet for Moderna) pared down the Biden Administration’s plan. The advisory panel is recommending to the FDA that the Pfizer booster should only be given to those over 65, those at high risk for severe COVID illness, or those who are likely to be exposed such as health care workers or teachers. They recommend the booster at 6 months rather than the 8 months proposed by the Biden Administration. They did not include any recommendation regarding the Moderna vaccine, in part due to lack of booster data and also that Moderna appears to be better than Pfizer at preventing severe illness.

Though the FDA generally follows the recommendations of this advisory committee, stay tuned for their final recommendation. Our office is not able to get the Pfizer vaccine from Missouri in small enough quantities that would prevent wastage. If you need to find a Pfizer vaccine, go to Vaccines.gov.

If you received the Moderna or J&J, we are awaiting the data regarding efficacy and safety of booster shots.

Remember that vaccination is still remarkable for protecting against severe illness requiring hospitalization. Primary vaccination combined with mask wearing and limiting indoor exposure in group settings remains the best way to stay healthy.
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11709 Old Ballas Rd. Suite 101, St. Louis, MO 63141


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