Update on COVID-19 Vaccines for Veterans – December 29, 2020

We received the following email from the VA:

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We’ve received Moderna COVID-19 vaccines at facilities across the country

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a second COVID-19 vaccine, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.  We’ve received Moderna vaccines at 113 VA facilities across the country.  These are in addition to our supply of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines at 52 VA facilities.

To learn more about the 2 authorized COVID-19 vaccines, read the FDA fact sheets:

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine fact sheet (PDF)

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine fact sheet (PDF)

What to expect over the next several months

We’ll have a limited amount of COVID-19 vaccines during this time. We’ll continue to follow our phased plan for providing vaccines to VA health care personnel and Veterans. Our goal is to do the most good for the most people.

If you’re eligible to get a vaccine, your VA health care team will contact you.  You don’t need to reserve a vaccine or come to a VA facility to request or receive a vaccine until we contact you.  Our staff will only provide vaccines to Veterans who are currently eligible for one based on VA and CDC risk criteria.

To learn more about our vaccine plans, go to our main vaccine information page.

What you can do now. . . 

• Apply for VA health care.  When more vaccines become available, we plan to offer a free COVID-19 vaccine to all Veterans receiving VA health care who want one.  If you’re not currently receiving health care through VA, you can apply now.
• Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.  For the latest information, go to the main vaccine information page.
• For information about how COVID-19 vaccines work, possible side effects, and answers to common questions, go to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
• Talk to your VA health care provider.  If you have questions about how your personal risk for COVID-19, or how they will determine when you can get a vaccine, send a secure message to your provider.   If you don’t receive your care at VA, contact your primary care provider.

Protect yourself from scams.  Remember, the VA will never ask you for personal information in an email.  We’ll also never include links that take you to a non-secure page that asks you to provide this information.

If someone calls you about getting a vaccine, be sure to verify that they’re your VA provider.  For more tips on how to avoid COVID-19 scams, go to the Federal Communications website.

You can sign up to receive future COVID-19 updates at this link: VA COVID-19 Updates.

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Remember: Stay safe and #Maskup!

DVEN CEO Robert Hess
US Army (R)