CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

700 military veterans receive COVID-19 vaccinations at Santa Maria VA clinic

Santa Maria Times - 3/23/2021

Mar. 23—Hundreds of military veterans were inoculated against the COVID-19 virus during a mass-vaccination event Saturday at a makeshift clinic erected in a parking lot outside the VA health clinic in Santa Maria.

About 700 veterans of all ages attended the vaccination event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with each receiving one-shot doses of the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. They came from multiple branches of the military, some with family members and some even bringing their dogs.

The sunny weather turned out to be ideal for the event, after months of logistical issues with transporting the Pfizer-BioNTech version of the vaccine, which required two shots spaced weeks apart and cold storage that the Santa Maria clinic did not have, according to Dr. Steven Braverman, director of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, which includes Santa Maria.

"We only used the Pfizer vaccine until [Saturday]," Braverman said, adding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was provided for locations in the healthcare system that are farther away from the bigger clinics. "We'll use whatever we can get. The important thing is that people should use whatever vaccine they can get."

The vaccine has been well-received by veterans across the Los Angeles region, with at least 30% of veterans older than 55 years and 80% of VA employees receiving at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, according to Braverman. He added that eligibility was recently expanded beyond the 55- and older age group, and enough supply was available for veterans enrolled in the VA system without having to prioritize.

Congressman Salud Carbajal, who served in the Marine Corps, made a brief appearance to speak with veterans and VA officials, including Rob Merchant, who is the Executive Director of Ambulatory Services, and Prachi Asher, Assistant Director for Resources, who has led the vaccination efforts for veterans across the region.

Veterans Affairs brought its workers and IT equipment, including a "giant" internet hotspot and laptops, that allowed them to check veterans into the system and document vaccinations in real-time, which is more efficient and helps track veterans who received doses, according to Merchant.

Inside the actual VA building at the corner of Main Street and South Suey Road, pharmacists were busy producing the shots, which were drawn with a syringe from tiny vials that contained five doses of pre-mixed vaccine.

The coronavirus vaccines are different than others, such as for the flu, which usually come in pre-loaded syringes that come in a box and have a nine-month shelf life when refrigerated. The Johnson & Johnson vaccines have a two-hour shelf life at room temperature, according to Allison Norton, a pharmacist for the VA.

While it was the VA that brought the vaccination doses, Marian Regional Medical Center provided some equipment, including tents, tables and chairs, which were set up in the same parking lot where similar clinics organized by the hospital were held.

Prior to Saturday's event, the Santa Maria VA clinic distributed doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to veterans on Tuesdays and Thursdays, according to Merchant.

"What we can't do, as big and nice as it is, is put 700 people through [the clinic]," Merchant said. "So Marian said 'just tell us what you need and it's yours.'"

The one-shot vaccines are being used to inoculate veterans who are unable to leave their homes and those who are experiencing homelessness, according to Merchant, adding the VA plans to hold a similar clinic in Paso Robles soon.

The recent expansion of vaccine eligibility beyond the 55- and older age group is providing younger veterans the opportunity to receive the vaccine. Those enrolled in the VA system were notified of their vaccine eligibility.

"The VA is encouraging us to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine," said Sierra Steele, 37, an Air Force veteran who said she was reluctant at first to receive the vaccine but understood its mRNA component because she studied biology.

Unlike some other vaccines, which contain a weakened virus cell, the coronavirus vaccines doesn't contain a live virus but a piece of its mRNA.

Another veteran, Michael Brockway, 38, of Santa Maria, served 10 years in the Navy and was stationed on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier as a nuclear electricians mate.

Life didn't stop Brockway, who is now a technician at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and has worked through the pandemic.

"Nuke reactors don't take care of themselves," Brockway said, adding that some of the government responses to the pandemic were a knee-jerk reaction. "By doing this, I'm protecting my family. We need everyone on board. I want to return to somewhere that's close to normal."

___

(c)2021 Santa Maria Times, Calif.

Visit Santa Maria Times, Calif. at http://www.santamariatimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.