The Orlando Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center began vaccinating veterans in long-term care facilities against COVID-19 and started vaccinating health employees on Dec. 16.
The Orlando VA healthcare system is one of 37 VA centers across the country that are first to offer the vaccine, due to its ability to store the vaccine at extremely cold temperatures and vaccinate large numbers of people, according to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs press release.
“Ultimately, the department’s goal is to offer the vaccine to all veterans receiving care at VA,” said VA secretary Robert Wilkie in a news release. “As increased vaccine supply is obtained, VA plans to distribute these vaccines at additional facilities to provide the vaccine to more veterans and employees.”
As part of their COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, the Department of Veteran Affairs will directly report data on the vaccines administered to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and will supply the public with updates on the number of people who received the vaccine from the VA center.
The Pfizer vaccine was deemed 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 infection when the two shots were taken 21 days apart and the most common side effects, ranging from injection sight pain to headaches and chills, do not last long, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
All 37 VA medical centers chosen to administer the vaccine first across the country, including the Orlando VA, will monitor and record any side effects caused by the vaccine into a tracking system used to monitor all reactions caused by many different vaccines, including the flu shot.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been linked to two nurses in England having an anaphylaxis reaction to the first shot; however, the CDC issued guidance, suggesting people with a history of severe allergic reactions to a vaccine in the past should be monitored for 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine.
For those veterans looking for more information, take a look at the VA Coronavirus Vaccine FAQ page or sign up to receive notifications through the VA’s COVID-19 Vaccine Stay Informed tool.
