St. Cloud VA Health care
System announcement

News & Announcements

Update on Philips Recall

Philips Respironics recently recalled some CPAP and BiPAP devices due to break down of the foam used to reduce sound and vibration. While in use, recalled devices may have very small foam particles break loose and travel through the air hose. This break down may be related to exposure to extreme heat and humidity or the use of unapproved cleaning devices.

VA encourages you to register through the Philips Respironics patient portal to see if your device is part of the recall at: https://www.philipssrcupdate.expertinquiry.com or call 877-907-7508.

Your safety is our top priority. If you notice any problems with your device or any new respiratory symptoms, contact your care team immediately. Otherwise, you should continue to use the device as prescribed and clean it using the manufacturer’s instructions.

We are currently working with the manufacturer on a solution and will keep you informed as additional information and guidance becomes available.

Your care team will reach out to you when a replacement is available. If you are concerned about using your device, please send a secure message to your care team through MyHealtheVet.

COVID-19 Vaccine Variants/Importance of Second Dose

Protecting Veterans, our staff, and those in the community, remains VA’s top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of that commitment, we are currently following many COVID-19 variants, and we expect to see more variants arise. What is of critical importance is having as many people vaccinated as possible.

Research tells us that the Delta variant, which has caused many hospitalizations and deaths in India, spreads more easily and quickly than other variants. According to the CDC, there is additional concern that the medical treatments we are using to treat COVID-19 patients may be less effective against this variant.

Over the past month, the Delta variant has rapidly spread and expanded in the United States, and we believe it may soon become the dominant virus strain. Research also shows that COVID-19 vaccines offer good protection against the variants we know most about, and widespread vaccination can prevent unnecessary deaths and hospitalizations. We believe that the newer types of vaccines we have now are true “pandemic fighters” and, by design, are well suited to adding new “targets” to fight these variants.

Have you gotten your first dose and don’t think you need your second? Consider this: The Delta variant most severely impacts those who are either unvaccinated or only received their first of two-dose vaccine series, such as Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. If someone is late for their second dose, they should still get it. VA will provide the second doses to employees, Veterans or anyone who qualifies under the Save Lives Act such as spouses and caregivers no matter where they received their first dose, if that is more convenient.

If you are undecided about getting the vaccine and need more information to make a decision, check out our Vaccine Questions page, which includes videos, downloadable information and frequently asked questions.