Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities received a one-time supplemental allocation of 200,000 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses last week from the Department of Health and Human Services.
This distribution is in addition to the VA’s normally scheduled delivery of approximately 125,000 doses of both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines each week.
“In accordance to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s phased allocation considerations, VA has worked diligently to offer and administer the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible to veterans who receive care at VA,” said Acting VA Under Secretary for Health Richard Stone, M.D. “The additional doses will help us to continue reaching our veterans at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 during this period of limited supply.”
VA facilities already receiving the Moderna vaccine, as well as several new sites, received additional doses last week from the supplemental allocation. The VA is currently providing vaccines at more than 215 sites nationally and is reaching out to veterans who are currently eligible for vaccination.
As of Feb. 10, the VA had administered at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine collectively to 1,047,187 veterans, employees and federal partners. The VA’s goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all veterans who are enrolled and eligible to receive VA health care. Veterans who are not enrolled can learn about eligibility by visiting www.va.gov//health-care/eligibility/.
The Chillicothe VA Medical Center is administering the Moderna vaccine and is currently offering the vaccine to enrolled outpatient veterans who are 40 years old and older. To date, 6,278 employees and veterans have received the first dose of the vaccine and 3,588 second doses have been given for a total of 9,866 doses administered.
Learn more about VA COVID-19 vaccines at www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/ or contact your care team.
Enrolled veterans can call 740-773-1141, ext. 5575, to schedule an appointment.
Veterans not enrolled in the VA health care system are encouraged to visit www.chillicothe.va.gov/enrollment.asp to register or call 740-772-7170 with questions.
For more information about the Chillicothe VA or how to become a volunteer, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 17273 SR 104, Chillicothe, webpage (www.va.gov/chillicothe).
Submitted by Stacia Ruby, public affairs officer, Chillicothe VA Medical Center.
