PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — For residents with compromised immune systems, it's a relief in the fight against COVID-19.
As many as 113 doses of the coronavirus vaccine were given Friday at a clinic hosted at Keiser University in Tradition.
Thirty-eight of the doses were booster shots.
"We are both diabetic and so, being diabetic, it's just important that we do whatever we can do to manage our health," said Louis Moore, who received the booster shot.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the use of the third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna shots for those with compromised immune systems.
"As long as it has been at least 28 days since that second vaccine, then we're willing to give them the booster dose," said Dr. Mark Pamer.
Pamer said patients with suppressed immune systems do not receive as high of a response from the vaccine as those with normal immune systems.
"The studies that were recently published by last week showed that with a third dose of the mRNA vaccines, that we got up to about a 50% response to the vaccine," said Pamer.
"Get the vaccine for the other person if you don't think you need it," said Ellen Hale, who received the booster shot.
In the last week, St. Lucie County has averaged over 300 positive COVID-19 cases per day.
Only 47% of the residents in the county are fully vaccinated.
That's compared to 52% in Martin County and 57% in Indian River County.
"When we were children, there was Polio," said Hale. "Polio was rampant and they didn't know what to do and then there was a vaccine and much of what went on then is going on now."
"We have a responsibility for taking care of ourselves and I understand it, this is a benefit to me," said Moore. "It's for anyone and everyone that wants to look out for their health."