Pittsburgh woman shares experience with COVID-19 booster shot as people line up to get one

PITTSBURGH — Allegheny General Hospital is already administering COVID-19 booster shots.

For the second day in a row, a clinic began at 2 p.m., and by 2:15 p.m., there was a line of several people waiting to get their third shot.

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“We anticipated it, we were ready for it and planned to open up this clinic just so our patients have access to a clinic location so they can come get the booster shot,” said Dr. Arpit Mehta, the Director of Pharmacy at Allegheny General Hospital.

On Wednesday, there were about 60 immunocompromised patients getting their third COVID-19 vaccine dosage and doctors were expecting even more on Thursday.

Dr. Mehta says it’s essential that these people get the booster, especially after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that vaccine effectiveness declines over time.

“It’s extremely important if you’re an immunocompromised patient to have the extra booster to build the immunity and get the 95% protection with Pfizer and Moderna,” Dr. Mehta says.

The clinic is for walk-ins, so you do not need to make an appointment.

How someone reacts to the vaccine booster all depends on the person, doctors say, but there could be a way to predict how you feel.

It’s been two days since Anne Moore received her COVID-19 booster shot at Giant Eagle.

“Yesterday my arm was a little sore, and really that’s about it. Not much else. Life goes on,” said Moore said, who is immunocompromised. “The worst part was having the needle put in my arm and getting the shot, boo boo, it was 2 seconds of pain and that was it.”

People line up at Allegheny General Hospital to get COVID-19 booster shot

This week, top U.S. health leaders announced that booster shots will be available to all Americans in September, eight months after they received the second shot.

“I didn’t have any hesitancy at all. I heard it was possible to get a booster, and I was like great, anything that can help me I’m all for it,” Moore said.

While she didn’t have any issues, Channel 11 spoke with another woman who said since she received her booster shot, she’s been in bed and was too sick for an interview.

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Dr. Mehta says how your body reacted to the previous shots may play a role.

“The reactions are expected to be very similar to how they are with their second dose. It should be similar to that,” he said. “Some people their body just reacts differently and its personal and dependent on the person.”

Allegheny General Hospital is holding another booster clinic Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.