Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- HSHS Medical Group Drive-Thru Care sites now offer COVID Pfizer boosters (third doses) to individuals who received two doses of Pfizer and meet the following criteria: 65+ years old; 18+ years old who have underlying medical conditions; 18+ years old who live or work in high-risk settings, including health care workers. It must be six months or longer since the second dose was received.
Patients must bring proof of their first two doses to their booster appointment.
Can I get a booster for Johnson and Johnson?
Boosters for Johnson and Johnson are not recommended by the CDC at this time.
Can I get a booster for Moderna?
At this time third doses of Moderna are only available to immunocompromised individuals who received Moderna for their first two doses.
Third doses of mRNA COVID vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) are available for individuals whose immune systems are moderately or severely compromised. For these patients, an additional dose of mRNA COVID vaccine can be given at least 28 days after a second dose.
Talk to your doctor about whether a third dose of the mRNA COVID vaccine is appropriate for you. Guidelines include immunocompromised people who have:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
You can read more details about COVID booster eligibility on the CDC’s website.
What symptoms should I expect from a booster or third dose?
Research has shown reactions after a third dose of mRNA vaccine are very similar to second dose reactions. Most reported symptoms after the third dose are mild to moderate and could include pain at the injection site and fatigue.
COVID vaccine options at HSHS Medical Group
HSHS Medical Group offers COVID-19 vaccines and testing to the public at drive-thru locations in Decatur, Springfield and O’Fallon. Appointments are required for all vaccine doses and testing.
Established patients may receive vaccines and testing at some primary care clinics. Call your local HSHS Medical Group primary care office to check availability.
Vaccine doses available include:
- First and second doses for individuals 12 years and older. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a guardian present to receive the vaccine.
- Third doses of Moderna and Pfizer for immunocompromised individuals.
- Boosters (third doses) for individuals 65 and older and high-risk adults who received Pfizer for their first and second dose. High-risk includes adults who have underlying medical conditions or who live or work in high-risk settings, including health care workers. It must be six months or longer since the second dose was received. Patients must bring proof of their first two doses to their booster appointment.
How to make a vaccine or testing appointment
Appointments are required for all vaccine doses and testing at drive-thru locations.
It is free and easy to create a MyHSHS account and schedule an appointment online:
- Go to www.myhshs.org.
- Login or Create a MyHSHS account by clicking “Sign Up Now.”
- Under Quick Links, click “COVID-19 Vaccine Link.”
- Click “COVID-19 Test/Vaccine” and answer questions on eligibility to schedule a test or a first, second or third dose vaccine appointment.
- You will be able to choose from available appointments at our Springfield, Decatur and O’Fallon drive-thru locations.
Vaccine appointments may also be scheduled by calling 844-216-4707. Testing appointments may not be scheduled by phone and must be scheduled online via MyHSHS.
If appointments are full, please check back as additional days and times will be added based on available vaccine supplies and clinic days. You can also visit www.vaccines.gov/search for other vaccine and testing options in your area. To find an HSHS vaccine clinic near you, visit www.HSHS.org/vaccine.
Looking for the flu shot?
Appointments for flu vaccines are now available to established patients at HSHS Medical Group locations in Central and Southern Illinois. Call your HSHS Medical Group primary care office or use our online patient portal, MyHSHS, to schedule an appointment. For more information, please visit our website.
About HSHS Medical Group
HSHS Medical Group is the physician organization of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS). Launched in 2009, HSHS Medical Group is a critical component of the HSHS Care Integration strategy, which focuses on bringing physicians, technology and patients together to improve the overall health of our communities. Today, HSHS Medical Group is comprised of over 1,300 colleagues in locations throughout central and southern Illinois. HSHS Medical Group is powered by the Franciscan history of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, and our faith-based identity led us to the single most important tenet of the HSHS Medical Group philosophy — patient-first care. For more information about HSHS Medical Group, visit HSHSMedicalGroup.org.
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high-quality Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our physician practices and 15 local hospitals in two states – Illinois (Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.
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