Central Florida physician prescribing 3rd COVID-19 vaccine for some
Doctor prescribing third COVID-19 vaccine dose for some patients
One Central Florida doctor has been testing all of his 65-and-older patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine for coronavirus antibodies. In some cases, the results have shown no presence of the antibodies months after the shot, which is why he is prescribing a third booster shot for those patients.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Central Florida doctor is writing prescriptions for some of his patients to receive a third COVID-19 vaccine.
Bud Hedinger, host of Good Morning Orlando News Radio on WFLA, told FOX 35 News that he received his third vaccine last week. He got his first shot in late January and the second in February.
Last week, after having Dr. David Klein on his show, Hedinger and a few of his fellow hosts had Dr. Klein run blood tests to see if they still had COVID-19 antibodies.
"Antibodies were zero! I was the most shocked guy ever," Hedinger said.
Dr. Klein said Hedinger wasn’t the only one who no longer had immunity.
"We found 15 percent had no antibodies as all," Dr. Klein said.
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And, he’s not surprised.
"Coronavirus is a common cold virus – they rarely leave you with immunity longer than 90-180 days," Dr. Klein explained.
He believes everyone 65 and older who started their vaccines back at the beginning of the year should get their COVID-19 antibody levels checked now.
"Essentially the elderly -- and the chronically ill -- they should be tested monthly for antibody levels. That way you can pick it up, inoculate or re-inoculate them," Dr. Klein said.
He recommends a specific test, the semi-quantitative or quantitative IGG test will give you all the information you need.
"Positive/negative doesn’t help. How much helps," Dr. Klein said.
For patients with levels two or under, Dr. Klein writes a prescription, telling the pharmacy or clinic giving the shot that he’s recommending a third dose
Hedinger said he didn’t have any issues getting his third jab at his local pharmacy with Dr. Klein’s letter in hand.
"I think there are countless people walking around just like me who are naively thinking they still have protection and they don’t have much or they don’t have any," Hedinger said.
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