Who will get a COVID-19 vaccine first?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine. We will start with a limited amount of this vaccine.
We have worked with the CDC and other federal partners to develop a phased plan. Our goal is to do the maximum good for most people during this time.
According to this plan, we will first offer vaccines to these 2 groups:
- Veterans living in our long-term care facilities, i
- VA health personnel. Vaccinating our high-risk healthcare staff for VA helps us continue to provide care to veterans.
We based this plan on these criteria according to CDC guidelines:
- Risk of virus infection
- Risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19
- Risk of spreading the virus to other people
- Risk of harm to society if essential workers, including health personnel, are unable to work
After the first two groups, we will begin offering vaccines to more veterans who are at high risk for COVID-19 disease. Your VA healthcare team will contact you if you are eligible to be vaccinated during this time.
Who has a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19
We will follow CDC guidelines to determine who has a high risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. The factors that can influence the risk of suffering from serious illnesses are the following:
- Age. The risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 increases with age.
- Existing health problems. People with certain health problems (such as diabetes, heart disease, or obesity) are at increased risk for serious illness or death from COVID-19.
- Other factors which increase the risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, such as living in a nursing home or other cohabitation center.
For more information about people at higher risk, visit the CDC website.
Basic information on how to get the vaccine in VA
As the supply of vaccines increases, we will work with our care teams to let veterans know their options.
Where we will offer vaccines
The first authorized COVID-19 vaccine requires special storage and handling. Therefore, we will start offering vaccines through certain VA medical centers.
When more vaccines are available, we will determine if we can provide vaccines through our network of community providers.
Eligibility and cost
When more vaccines are available, we plan to offer a free COVID-19 vaccine to all veterans who receive VA health care who want it.
Your team will contact you when a vaccine is available. If you decide to take the vaccine, your team will help you schedule appointments.
If you are not currently receiving medical care through VA, you can apply now.
Security
The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Safety is a priority, while federal partners are working to make a COVID-19 vaccine available.
We will closely monitor all those receiving a COVID-19 vaccine for side effects, side effects, or adverse events. An adverse event is an injury or damage that happens to someone after receiving a vaccine, which may or may not have been caused by the vaccine.
We will report this information to our vaccine tracking and tracing system. This is the same system we use to control reactions to all vaccines, including those for the flu and shingles.
Privacy
We will share the same information with the CDCs that we share with other vaccines. This includes the following information:
- Demographic information (such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity) that helps CDCs understand which groups of people are getting the vaccine
- Adverse reactions to the vaccine
We will not share names or addresses.