VA North Texas Director's Suite--COVID-19 Vaccine Updates--January 31, 2020

Veterans, stakeholders, and friends:

VA North Texas Health Care System received an initial 3,000+ doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine two weeks ago, targeted for our 6,000-person contingent of employees, community living center (CLC) residents, and spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Thus far, some 1,850 of the doses have been administered at our Dallas campus.

In addition, our Fort Worth and Bonham locales were two of the 113 VA Medical Centers across the country to receive the first limited supply of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. These sites were identified based on need for the vaccine according to CDC’s 1A prioritization and capacity to  store the vaccine at -20^◦C. The Moderna vaccine was 94 percent effective in clinical trials in preventing COVID-19 disease. The vaccine is administered in two doses, 28 days apart. The side effects appear similar to those of other vaccines and are short-lived.

In accordance with CDC and VA directives, as more COVID-19 vaccine doses become available to VA North Texas Health Care System throughout January and beyond, enrolled patients will receive guidance on opportunities to get the vaccine through USPS letter and updates on the official VA North Texas website and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram at @VANorthTexas).

Veterans having questions about the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can visit this site for FAQs. 

2020 was a challenging year, but no matter the obstacle, our employees service, sacrifice, and commitment to our patients is what allowed VA North Texas to succeed in caring for our nation’s heroes. We look forward to 2021 and continued opportunities to serve those who have borne the battle. 

In your service,

Stephen R. Holt, MD, MPH, MSNRS

Director