Albany Stratton VA Medical Center Albany, NY

COVID-19 Vaccines

VA is providing the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccines, as authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Supply varies by facility.

VA is resuming offering the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 18 years and older. This is in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance, following a 10-day pause recommended by the CDC and FDA after a very small number of people who received the vaccine experienced rare but serious blood clots. After careful review and evaluation, the FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe for use and effective in preventing COVID-19. The available data show that the vaccine's benefits outweigh its risks and the chance of blood clots occurring following its administration is very low.

Anyone who is offered the J&J vaccine from VA will receive information about the potential risks and benefits of the vaccine, including the rare risk of blood clots and will be made aware of alternative vaccine options. The primary goal of COVID-19 vaccination is to protect those we serve from COVID-19, and VA's priority remains the safety of all those receiving vaccine from VA, including Veterans, their spouses, caregivers, employees and federal partners. For more information about COVID-19 vaccines at VA, visit www.va.gov/covidvaccine/.

Congress has passed a new law that allows us to offer COVID-19 vaccines to more people. VA is now able to offer vaccine to the following groups who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine at VA when their local VA facilities have enough vaccine:

• Veterans
• Spouse of a Veteran
• Caregivers of a Veteran
• Recipients of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) benefits

The best way to stay informed is to sign up to tell us you'd like to get a COVID-19 vaccine at VA. Your local VA facility will then contact you when they have a vaccine for you.

For your continued health and safety during this pandemic, please don't come to a VA health facility to request a COVID-19 vaccine without an appointment unless you are coming to a specific scheduled event such as a walk-in clinic or drive-through clinic that does not require an appointment.

Note: Your employer, pharmacy, or local public health officials may offer you a COVID-19 vaccine. We encourage you to take the first opportunity you have to get a vaccine at the most convenient location for you.

COVID – 19 Vaccine Update for Albany VA Medical Center Patients

The Albany/Stratton VA is offering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to enrolled Veterans already receiving care from VA, based on CDC and VA risk criteria. If you're eligible to get a vaccine, your VA health care team will contact you.

We are contacting Veterans in all locations in an organized manner in accordance with the collaborative Risk Stratification criteria developed by the Centers for Disease Control and the Veterans Health Agency which incorporates both age and significant health concerns (comorbidities) and informing Veterans that the Albany/Stratton VA system (which includes all of our Community Based Outpatient Clinics) is scheduling vaccination appointments.

Our goal is to vaccinate all Veterans receiving care from us.

If you are not enrolled in VA health care and want to enroll visit www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply/