New VHA Coronavirus Vaccination Requirements and Building Entrance Updates

Dear Veterans, families, and community advocates,

 

At VA North Texas Health Care System, our goal is to ensure the safety of our Veterans and our employees. As you all know, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have health, societal, and economic impacts on Veterans, staff, family members, and communities. The transmission of COVID-19 and the currently circulating Delta Variant raises concerns that hospitalization rates will rise as well as create serious or fatal outcomes for those who contract COVID-19 and its variants.

Per VHA Directive 1193 released on July 27, 2021, COVID-19 vaccinations are obligatory for Title 38 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care Personnel (HCP) which includes all physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants, expanded-function dental auxiliaries and chiropractors who work in VHA facilities, visit those facilities or provide direct care to the patients we serve.

All Title 38 employees must be fully vaccinated within eight weeks of VHA Directive 1193, or within eight weeks of their beginning employment date. The only exemptions of this requirement are for medical and religious purposes which must be documented. Employees and staff that purposely violate VHA Directive 1193 may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal service.

The VA is highly committed to the health and safety of our Veterans and employees. Vaccinated employees minimize their risk of getting COVID-19, are less likely to get or spread the virus to others, will protect our Veterans, our co-workers, and our family members.

VA North Texas will continue to provide easy access to COVID-19 vaccines for employees, HCP and our Veterans. Additionally, Veteran spouses and caregivers 12 years of age and older can receive the Pfizer vaccine at the Dallas VA Medical Center. At this time, the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine approved for use in children who are 12 and up.

Spouses and caregivers 18 years of age and older may elect to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the Pfizer vaccine at the Dallas VAMC, the Johnson & Johnson or Moderna vaccine at the Ft. Worth Outpatient Clinic or the Johnson & Johnson or Moderna vaccine at the Sam Rayburn Veterans Memorial Center, in Bonham.

Please click “sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccine” to self-register as a spouse, caregiver or Veteran. You may also request an appointment by calling 214-857-4791 in Dallas, 214-857-4719 in Bonham, 817-730-0000 for Ft. Worth. Registered Veterans may request an appointment through MyHealtheVet by sending a secure message to the “NTX COVID VACCINE SCHEDULING REQUEST” team.

Walk-ins are seen at the Dallas VA Medical Center from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. As with other vaccinations, Veterans, employees, HCP and family members may also obtain vaccines from outside providers.

 

Mask Wear Guidance: It is our duty as a federal health care entity and the largest integrated health care system in the nation to do our part in this pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccination is the best protection we have in fighting and controlling the virus, and this requirement is part of our ongoing strategy to prevent viral transmission in our health care system.

Accordingly, to protect the VA North Texas Health Care System employees, patients, and visitors, and to ensure the continuity of services and activities, all VA North Texas employees, on-site contractors, Veterans, patients, and other individuals entering VA North Texas buildings on all campuses, will be required to wear masks, maintain physical distancing, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in the Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing and CDC guidelines.

 

Change to Screening Procedures: Effective Tuesday, August 3, 2021, VA North Texas will begin a passive screening process where employees, patients, and visitors will self-screen prior to entry. No temperatures will be taken, nor will wristbands provided. The current entrances that are open will remain open, and no new entrances will be available at this time. 

There will be signage posted with COVID -19 self-screening questions at all the current entrances.  If a person screens positive, instructions will also be provided on the posted instructions. In addition, mask dispensers will be located at each entrance and throughout sites within VANTHCS.

Children 12 years of age and up may accompany a Veteran, if that child is receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, otherwise, children 16 years of age and younger are not allowed on any of the VA North Texas campuses.

Weapons on VA Property: Remember that firearms and other dangerous weapons are (still) strictly prohibited on Federal properties (see 18 U.S. Code § 930). Federal law prohibits a person from knowingly possessing or attempting to possess a firearm, and no one other than authorized law enforcement personnel shall bring a firearm on any of the properties of the VA North Texas Healthcare System or any other properties owned or leased by the Federal Government.

 Anyone violating this law, or knowingly possesses or causes the presence of a firearm or other dangerous weapon on any VA North Texas grounds or campuses, or attempts to do so, is subject to fine or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.