VA Southeast Network (VISN7)
VISN 7 administers nearly 50,000 COVID-19 doses, publishes facility vaccination numbers
February 2, 2021
DULUTH, GA - Today Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 7 announced that they have administered over 49,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in a month and a half’s time to Veterans and VA health care workers.
As of Feb. 2, VISN 7 has dispensed at least one dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine to more than 29,000 Veterans and has fully vaccinated over 2,400, totaling more than 31,000 doses. This is in addition to administering more than 18,000 doses to VA employees.
“VISN 7 medical centers are working rapidly to ensure distribution of all available vaccine to our patients and employees,” said Joe Battle, VISN 7 interim network director. “The VA Southeast Network is up to the task to provide this world-changing vaccine to our nation’s heroes.”
This is an integral part of VA’s administrating 1 million doses to Veterans, employees and federal partners.
“In addition to administering 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, VA has begun publishing the number of Veterans who have received Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna vaccines at each facility across its enterprise,” said Acting VA Secretary Dat Tran. “The number of doses administered to Veterans at each facility will be updated daily on the VA COVID-19 National Summary website.”
VA employees across the country, including within VISN 7, are working diligently to vaccinate the department’s health care personnel and the most vulnerable Veterans as quickly as possible. Making the data about vaccine doses administered to Veterans available publicly, VA is taking another step toward being as transparent as possible during the pandemic.
VA is currently providing vaccines at more than 215 sites nationally with plans to expand to additional sites as vaccine supplies increase. All VISN 7 medical centers are currently providing the vaccine. As with states distributing vaccines, VA and VISN 7 are currently in the limited supply phase, anticipating an increase in weekly vaccine doses in March. Until VA receives an increase in vaccines, many facilities may temporarily run out of vaccines for short periods of time.
VISN 7 will continue to follow current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and the VA COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution Plan until new CDC guidance is available. The distribution plan lays out VA’s overarching intent but implementation of vaccination on a large scale requires agility and flexibility in order to meet the daily threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal government will continue to work with states and the private sector to effectively execute an aggressive vaccination strategy, focusing on the immediate actions necessary to convert vaccines into vaccinations.
VA is reaching out to Veterans who are eligible for vaccination. Veterans who would like additional information can visit the VA COVID-19 vaccines webpage, visit their local facility’s website or contact their care team.
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