Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Arizona Announces Joe Greenberg As New General Manager, Commercial Business Segment

The COVID-19 booster discussion is underway, and at Blue Cross^® Blue Shield^® of Arizona (BCBSAZ) we are closely monitoring the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s guidance. As of August 13, the CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. To learn about who falls into the category of immunocompromised, please visit cdc.gov.

On August 18, the public health experts from Human Health Services (HHS), announced in a joint statement with medical experts, that planning is underway to offer a booster dose, for the general public, as early as September 20 for those who have received their second shot of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, pending evaluation from the Food and Drug Administration and CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). 

There is no cost for members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, including booster or additional doses. We encourage all Arizonans to talk with their primary care doctor about getting vaccinated, if they haven’t already, or the potential of receiving the booster shot. 

Why will we need another dose?

The additional dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are to ensure lasting protection against the coronavirus as the delta variant spreads across the country, according to federal health experts.

Officials said they expect that recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was authorized as a one-dose regimen in March 2021, will also require an additional dose. But they are waiting for the results of that firm’s two-dose clinical trial, expected later this month.

When should you get the additional dose?

If you are immunocompromised, the CDC recommends you receive an additional dose of the vaccine at least 28 days (4 weeks) after completing the initial two-dose vaccine.

For most Americans, the medical experts from HHS have indicated that you should get an additional dose of the coronavirus vaccination eight months after you received your second shot, pending evaluation*.

Resources

For additional COVID-19 vaccine administration information, please visit cdc.gov or azblue.com/coronavirus.

If you have not yet received the vaccine and would like to, or you are eligible to receive the additional dose, please visit azdhs.gov/findvaccine.