“VA is well prepared and positioned to begin COVID-19 vaccinations,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie in a news statement. “Our ultimate goal is to offer it to all veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.”
‘A Herculean effort’
The VA submitted an initial order for 73,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 122,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed.
“It is not an adequate amount,” Richard Stone, M.D., executive in charge at the VA’s Veterans Health Administration said at a Senate hearing before the vaccine’s rollout. “This will be a long process for us to reach all 7 million veterans who we believe will want vaccinations from us, as well as all 400,000 employees at the agency.”
Since both vaccines require two doses delivered at different times, Stone said, the “tracking of the veteran and employee who receives them is going to be a Herculean effort.”
The VA anticipates receiving weekly distributions of vaccines, although it does not know how many doses will be in each delivery.
Vaccination options for caregivers
In late January, VA health care facilities began offering COVID-19 testing and vaccinations to family caregivers of veterans in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
Each local VA facility will decide when it will begin offering vaccines to caregivers, based on its specific resources, needs and vaccine availability. Vaccinations will be offered first to those who are at the greatest risk of severe complications from the coronavirus.
Caregivers are encouraged to sign up to receive updates from the VA’s COVID-19 vaccine page.
For more information visit VA’s Caregiver Support Program, contact your local facility’s VA Caregiver Support Coordinator or call the Caregiver Support line at 855-260-3274.
Vaccination options for Tricare members
The Department of Defense is prioritizing the distribution of vaccines to those who provide direct medical care, maintain essential national security and installation functions, deploying forces, and those at the highest risk for developing severe illness from the virus. After these initial groups are vaccinated, vaccines will become available for other beneficiaries in phases.
Right now, the COVID-19 vaccine is only available at certain locations throughout the U.S. and overseas. Later vaccines will be broadly available at:
Tricare says that it is working to ensure beneficiaries have no out-of-pocket costs. Meanwhile you can sign up for email alerts from Tricare here as more vaccine news becomes available.
Read More: VA Announces Plan for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution