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Knoxville man set to get third COVID-19 vaccine dose after six bouts of cancer and discovering weakened immune system

Dave Brandt, a six-time cancer survivor, now will get a third COVID-19 vaccine after the CDC recommended immunocompromised people get one.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn — All Dave Brandt wants is his life back to normal. He said that he thought after receiving both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, that would happen. 

'We've been secluded from our friends; we've been secluded more or less from our church and we're just waiting to get back to normal life," said Brandt.

Brandt and his wife have been shut out from the world for around 17 months. Staying at home hasn't been a choice for them, but has instead been a necessary precaution. They said a battle with COVID-19 could be deadly since Brandt is immunocompromised.

His fights with cancer started when he had a melanoma in his chest, in the late 1980s. After that, he faced cancer diagnoses six more times and was victorious in all of them.

He's a natural-born fighter, with more than 27 years as a firefighter.

He stepped up and got his vaccine early when it was first available, hoping to open the doors to the world again. However, a suggestion from health workers changed everything.

They said it would be a good idea to test his blood to check his immune system and his antibodies. The results sent him back to the drawing board after he thought he was protected from COVID-19.

It found that he was not producing the expected amount of antibodies, and was immunocompromised.

"It means that I have to be extra careful and be sure to wear my mask anytime I'm around other people,." he said.

Dr. Bill Smith, the CEO of the Alliance for Multi-Specialty Research, stresses the need for immunocompromised people to get that third dose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended people with compromised immune systems get the third dose.

"It's extremely important for people that are immunocompromised to get the third dose, and to get a third dose of the same vaccine that you received previously," Dr. Smith said. "It gives a significant boost to your antibody levels."

So, for Brandt getting the third dose isn't an option — it's required. He said that he needs it to get peace of mind and that getting it can mean life or death.

"I'm lucky that nothing has happened to me with the false feeling that I had all these extra antibodies," he said. 

Brandt still receives maintenance infusions and said that he wanted to send a message to those who like himself who have weak immune systems.

"They should maybe get their antibodies checked and see if it did work," he said.

Good news for Brandt - health officials called him Tuesday morning and told him that he qualified for the third dose. Now, he just needs to schedule a time to get it.

Officials said around 40% of people who are hospitalized with COVID-19 and who are vaccinated are usually people that do in fact have weaker immune systems. However, the majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations are from people who did not get the vaccine.

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