VA Palo Alto Health Care System is excited to announce that we began offering COVID-19 vaccination to frontline health care personnel and high-risk Veterans residing in our long term care facilities on December 16, 2020. VA is offering COVID-19 vaccines at 37 VA facilities nationwide at this time.
About the vaccine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a COVID-19 vaccine via an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Manufactured by Pfizer, the vaccine has proven to be 95% effective in clinical trials with limited side effects. This marks a crucial first step in getting COVID-19 under control.
Who will be offered the vaccine first?
The initial supply of the vaccine is extremely limited. Per CDC guidance, VA will begin vaccinating health care personnel – as they are essential in continuing to care for patients throughout the pandemic – and Veteran inpatients in Community Living Centers and Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Centers. VA will vaccinate additional Veterans at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 after health care personnel have been offered vaccine.
VA’s ultimate goal is to offer the vaccine to all Veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.
Contacting Veterans for vaccine appointments
It is important to understand that many Veterans will not be able to get the vaccine during this initial rollout. To reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19, Veterans should not come into a VA facility looking to receive a vaccine, nor to schedule a vaccine appointment. Care teams will contact Veterans when a vaccine is available, based on their personal risk factors and vaccine availability. However, Veterans can sign up to get updated information at this site.
Keep up the 3W’s!
It’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. Even after vaccination, Veterans and employees should continue to:
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Wear a face covering
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Watch your distance (stay 6 feet apart)
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Wash hands frequently
Please continue to follow federal, state and local safety guidelines.
VA is eager to begin administering the vaccine and asks all Veterans and VA health care personnel for their patience during this initial rollout.
Important Resources
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