Wilmington va medical center to begin covid-19 vaccine distribution with moderna at its outpatient clinics in delaware and southern new jersey | va wilmington health care | veterans affairs

Wilmington , DE — Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center is scheduled to expand COVID-19 vaccinations with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at its Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Kent

and Sussex counties in Delaware and Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties in New Jersey beginning Dec. 30. CONTACT: Jacob Dillon, Public Affairs Officer EMAIL: [email protected]

PHONE: 302-994-2511 x3589 | CELL: 302-299-3738 DATE:  12/29/2020 WILMINGTON VA MEDICAL CENTER TO BEGIN COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION WITH MODERNA AT ITS OUTPATIENT CLINICS IN DELAWARE AND

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY WILMINGTON, DEL — Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center is scheduled to expand COVID-19 vaccinations with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at its Community Based

Outpatient Clinics in Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware and Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties in New Jersey beginning Dec. 30. Wilmington VA Medical Center rolled out its

COVID-19 vaccination program Dec. 22 at the main medical center in Wilmington following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Emergency Use Authorization for this vaccine. Initial doses of

the vaccine were offered to health care personnel and Veterans in the community living center. “As vaccine supplies increase, our ultimate goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccination to all

Veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated,” said Vince Kane, Director of Wilmington VA Medical Center. “Initially, we will be focusing on vaccinating Veterans with higher risk factors

such as age and pre-existing health conditions.” As vaccines become available for more groups of Veterans, VA care teams will reach out to eligible Veterans to schedule vaccinations. THERE

IS NO NEED TO PREREGISTER OR COME TO A FACILITY TO SIGN UP. Even after receiving COVID-19 vaccination, employees and Veterans should continue: * Wearing face coverings * Washing hands often

* Watching physical distancing VACCINE BACKGROUND Wilmington VA Medical Center is one of 113 VA Medical Centers across the country to receive the first limited supply of the Moderna COVID-19

vaccine. Sites were identified based on need for the vaccine according to CDC’s 1A prioritization and capacity to store the vaccine at -20◦C. Thirty-seven medical centers began offering the

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to health care personnel and Veterans Dec 14. Fifteen additional VA facilities recieved an allocation of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec.

21. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was 94 percent effective in clinical trials in preventing COVID-19 disease. The vaccine is administered in two doses, 28 days apart. The side effects appear

similar to those of other vaccines and are short-lived. Veterans can get up-to-date information on VA’s VA COVID-19 vaccine webpage, which launched on Dec.11, and sign up to receive regular

updates on the vaccine on the VA’s Stay Informed page.   MORE INFORMATION Wilmington VA Medical Center provides health care services to approximately 33,000 Veterans through its main medical

center and five CBOCs in Delaware and southern New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.wilmington.va.gov.