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VA Sunshine Healthcare Network

 

VA Health Care Facilities in Florida and Puerto Rico Surpass 100,000 COVID-19 Vaccinations

February 2, 2021

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The VA Sunshine Healthcare Network’s (VISN 8) family of medical centers and clinics have collectively administered more than 100,000 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, reaching this major milestone in just six weeks.

This major achievement comes on the heels of a national media release published today by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announcing more than 1 million doses of the vaccine have been administered to Veterans and VA healthcare workers. In the same release, VA announced that it is now publishing the number of Veterans who have received vaccines at VA facilities across the country on it’s COVID-19 National Summary website.

VA Medical Centers in Florida and Puerto Rico began vaccinating frontline healthcare personnel and vulnerable Veterans residing in long-term care and congregate living units in mid-December. A few weeks later, medical centers began vaccinating additional groups of Veterans who receive care at VA and have expanded vaccination efforts to select VA community-based outpatient clinics.

All medical centers are administering the vaccine in accordance with CDC risk group recommendations as supply allows. Facilities are currently scheduling vaccinations by appointment.

“We are pleased with our efforts thus far as we move forward in vaccinating Veterans who entrust us with their care,” said Dr. Miguel LaPuz, VISN 8 Network Director. “Our teams have worked aggressively to get the vaccine in the arms of our employees and patients because we know vaccination is critical to ending this pandemic.”

Efforts will continue until every Veteran receiving VA health care has been offered the vaccine. As more vaccine becomes available, medical centers will expand to additional groups of eligible Veterans.

For more information on vaccine availability and how to schedule an appointment, visit:

Veterans who do not currently receive care at VA can learn more about VA health care eligibility criteria at https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/

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MEDIA CONTACT:  VISN8CommunicationOffice@va.gov 

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