St. Cloud VA - 13 October: Buddy Check is Next Week; Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine now available;

Veterans Health Administration sent this bulletin at 10/13/2023 11:03 AM EDT
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Veteran News Brief

October 13, 2023

 

For Veterans served by the St. Cloud VA Health Care System, and for those who serve them. 
Be a Buddy! National Buddy Check Week - Take the Pledge! Check in with 10 Vets - October 16- 20, 2023

Buddy Check is Next Week

Pledge to Talk to 10 Veterans during Buddy Check Week

In the military, servicemembers learned to rely on each other. Now that you are Veterans, that hasn’t changed. Everyone needs help sometimes, but do you know when your buddies need help? From October 16-20, 2023, join the Veteran community in National Buddy Check week to encourage everyone to check in with their battle buddies or rekindle old friendships. 

Take the Pledge to Talk to 10

Reach out to Veteran friends, check in. Talk about family, your life, how life has changed since time in service.

Know How to Help

If someone thinks a buddy could use some help, share these resources:

  1. 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) is always the right number to call and a great place to get started with VA.
  2. Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. Dial 988 then Press 1, Chat Online, or Text 838255.
  3. Print the VA Welcome Kit to learn more about what VA offers, how we can help, and how to get started.

Take the Training

Do you know the signs of distress? Take this 30-minute online training and  be an even better advocate for your friends. Many of your friends may be doing well, but others may need help from the community or VA in some way.

Learn more about Buddy Check Week at https://www.va.gov/initiatives/national-buddy-check-week-talk-to-10-veterans/
Woman with bandage for vaccine

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available

St. Cloud VA sites of care are now offering updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for the 2023-2024 season. The updated vaccine targets more recent COVID-19 strains. Due to changes in the virus, it is important to get the updated vaccine as soon as you are eligible.

Enrolled Veterans attending previously scheduled appointments can get the updated 2023-2024 vaccine during their visit, as supplies allow. Veterans without scheduled appointments can make a vaccine-only appointment by calling 320-252-1670, ext. 6339 to schedule. 

Updated vaccines are available free of charge to Veterans receiving care at VA. VA is not offering the updated vaccine to spouses.

Updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

The CDC recently issued the following updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine recommendations:

  1. All adults should receive one updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose, if it’s been at least 2 months since receiving any older COVID-19 vaccine.
  2. Anyone who has not yet received any COVID-19 vaccine should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Additionally,

  1. People with moderately to severely immunocompromising conditions may receive additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 doses, if recommended by their provider.

You are up to date if you have had one dose of the most recent COVID-19 vaccine that became available in September 2023-2024.

COVID-19 Vaccines Also Available through VA’s Community Care Network

Eligible Veterans can receive COVID-19 vaccines at more than 70,000 Community Care Network (CCN) retail pharmacies and urgent care locations.

Veterans can use the VA Locator to find a VA facility, in-network retail pharmacy or urgent care location near them by visiting: https://www.va.gov/find-locations.

If you received your vaccine outside of the VA, we encourage you to share this information with your VA health care team. You can do this by adding your vaccine information to your MyHealtheVet health summary for your own records. To add your information, you’ll need a premium MyHealtheVet account. Learn more about managing your COVID-19 vaccine records online.

Stay in Touch 

Visit our Website: https://www.va.gov/st-cloud-health-care/

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/StCloudVAHCS

Sign up for our automated email service. Visit the St. Cloud VA Website at: https://www.va.gov/st-cloud-health-care/ and scroll down to the Get updates from VA St Cloud health care in the grey box. Click on the options you wish and enter your email address and you will be signed up to receive email updates from these four options.   

You have received this message because you are subscribed to Veterans Health. Access your Subscriber Preferences to make changes to your subscription or Unsubscribe. Get this as a forward? Sign Up to receive updates from Veterans Health. Having questions or problems? Please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance.

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