COVID-19 vaccine eligibility

If you are NOT vaccinated, we encourage you to consider taking this important step.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused severe illness and death around the world. This is, in part, because the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily from person to person.

We have some treatments to help reduce the effects of COVID-19 but a vaccine that helps prevent people from becoming infected is the best way to slow or stop the spread of the virus.

The FDA has authorized 3 COVID-19 vaccines for public use. All of these vaccines have been proven effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 disease. These authorized COVID-19 vaccines use inactivated virus, pieces of the virus, or a gene from the virus. None of these can cause COVID-19.

Vaccines help train your body’s natural immune system to recognize and fight a specific disease by stimulating a response to the virus that causes that disease.

Vaccines protect you and the people around you. Protecting whole communities from diseases like COVID-19 is an important reason for everyone to get vaccines. We call this “community immunity.”

When enough people are vaccinated and develop immunity to a certain virus, that virus can’t spread as easily from person to person. This means that everyone in the community is less likely to get infected. Even if some people do still get infected, there’s less chance of an outbreak that causes many people in the community to get sick at the same time. This helps prevent issues like too many people needing care at once and not having enough hospital beds or health care providers.

VA Pittsburgh offers the COVID-19 vaccine to all Veterans, their spouses and caregivers* at no cost. We provide the vaccine to VA-enrolled Veterans by appointment at any of our seven sites of care or as walk-ins to our University Drive campus. We provide the vaccine to spouses, caregivers and Veterans who are not eligible and enrolled in VA as walk-ins to our University Drive campus or by appointment at any of our five outpatient clinics.

*Spouses are those who are in a marriage, same-sex or common-law marriage with a veteran, or are a widow or widower of a veteran. Caregivers are a family member or friend who provides care to a veteran or helps a veteran with personal needs like feeding, bathing, or dressing or tasks like shopping or transportation.

University Drive Walk-In Clinic

All Veterans, enrolled in VA health care or not, their spouses and caregivers can receive the vaccine as walk-ins to our University Drive campus from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, except federal holidays. We do not offer walk-in inoculations at our H.J. Heinz III campus or any of our outpatient clinics.

If you don't receive care at VA, we encourage you to pre-register online at least one hour before you go, to save time when you arrive. While at VA you will need to wear a face mask, and physical distancing measures will be in place. For more about vaccinations at VA, visit: www.va.gov/covidvaccine 

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources:

• COVID-19 vaccines at VAPHS
• Veterans: Avoid COVID-19 Scams
• COVID-19 Vaccines at VA 
• CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Questions and Answers

VA-enrolled Veterans:

Your employer, pharmacy, or local public health officials may offer you a COVID-19 vaccine. We encourage you to take the first opportunity you have to get a vaccine at the most convenient location for you. If you decide to get a COVID-19 vaccine outside of VA, we encourage you to share this information with your VA health care team. You can send a picture of your vaccination record card to your VA provider through secure messaging.

To find out if you are eligible to enroll in VA health care:

• Call VA toll-free at 877-222-8387, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Apply at www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply
• Download the mailable VA Form 10-10EZ. Send the completed 10-10EZ with a copy of your DD214 to VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Attn: Patient Registration, University Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15240.