Durham VA Health Care System opens vaccinations to all enrolled veterans

Mar. 20—Any veterans who have enrolled with the Durham VA Health Care System are now eligible to receive a vaccine through the federal program, officials announced.

The state's rules on eligibility don't apply.

"We are very grateful to be able to offer COVID-19 vaccines, which are very safe and effective, to all enrolled veterans," Dr. Genevieve Embree, a VA primary care physician, told The News & Observer.

The Durham VA Health Care System covers a 27-county region that ranges from Durham to the coast, with clinics in Raleigh, Greenville and Morehead City. So far, the system has administered more than 39,000 shotsr, Embree said, inoculating more than 20,000 veterans.

VA officials were able to open vaccination appointments to everyone, Embree said, because the Durham system received more than 2,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week and has offered slots to those in previous priority groups.

At the same time, Embree said, "Just because we moved down to a different prioritization group doesn't mean that we're not continuing to target efforts and education and outreach to those in our higher prioritization groups."

Anyone who is eligible for VA health care can also enroll with the VA, Embree said, to become eligible for a vaccine through its program. To enroll, a veteran must have served 24 continuous months in the armed forces or a full period of active duty.

There are five federal vaccine programs underway in North Carolina. Along with the VA vaccinations, the Department of Defense is vaccinating, federally qualified health care clinics are receiving vaccine directly from the federal government and some pharmacies are partnering with the federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Pharmacies are also participating in a federal program to vaccinate residents of long-term care facilities.

While the pharmacy programs and federally qualified health centers follow state guidelines, the VA's prioritization groups have been slightly different from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Service's.

VA officials started vaccinating with veterans who live in long-term care settings or work as health care personnel. That was followed by a group that included veterans who are at least 75 years old, essential workers, and those experiencing homelessness or in very high-risk categories such as awaiting an organ transplant or receiving chemotherapy.

The last prioritization group included veterans who are at least 65 years old, all veterans with a condition that puts them at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and those who are essential workers.

VA officials are reaching out to veterans who have not yet received a vaccine through the system, Embree said. Some of those efforts include primary care teams calling people who haven't yet taken a shot and sending text messages to groups of people who may be at higher risk from the disease.

"We are focusing our shift more on educational campaigns and addressing people's concerns to try to eliminate fear that people have about the vaccines," Embree said, noting that tens of thousands veterans have taken the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by now with very few reports of adverse impacts.

To make an appointment, veterans can call the VA at 919-286-0411 and press "0" to speak with an operator.

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