Page 13 - Winter2021Skysoldier

VACCINE!
Skysoldier leads the way in USAEUR vaccination program
BAVARIA, Germany -- U.S. Army Health Clinics in Ansbach, Grafen- woehr and Vilseck conducted
their first inoculations of health- care workers with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Dec. 28, 2020. The arrival of the Moderna vaccine paves the way for a phased vaccine distribution plan to protect our military communities overseas against COVID-19.
Initial vaccinations will be limit- ed to healthcare workers and first responders to assess the process and will be used to plan expanded distribution, where each service will request and administer the vaccine through a Defense De- partment-wide phased vaccination approach.
“As we start to vaccinate in the initial phases, we are following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Defense guidance on priority for individuals,” said Col. E. Lee Bryan, commander of U.S. Army Medical Department Activity Ba- varia. “As this expands to include larger numbers of people over the next several months, we will then
start to see the effects. But it won’t be overnight.”
Each phase of the vaccine distri- bution process is designed to safely protect Department of Defense personnel from COVID-19 as quickly as possible.
“As we work through vaccinating all of our healthcare personnel and first responders, we will also begin to look at our highly-deployable forces here in Europe, and our high-risk populations,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Thompson, Regional Health Command Europe com- manding general. “After that, we’ll be able to focus on our healthy service members, civilians, families, retirees not part of the high-risk population, etc.”
As distribution is carried out, information of those timelines will be provided through command channels and through installation webpages and social media plat- forms.
Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration emergency use ap- proval, the vaccine is voluntary but recommended by the military.
“The FDA only authorizes the
use of a COVID-19 vaccine after careful and rigorous testing and trials,” said Thompson. “We are excited to be playing a role in providing a very safe and effective vaccine to our military community. This vaccine is a vital part of our way forward to protect our people, their families and the communities where we live and work.”
All DOD personnel will con- tinue to wear appropriate masks, practice physical distancing, wash hands, follow restriction of move- ment and adhere to host nation restrictions for the safety of their communities, as a large portion
of the population will need to be vaccinated before COVID-19 risks diminish.
“For anyone who is debating whether they should be vacci- nated when it is offered, I would say please take a look at all the information available and make a personal decision based on facts and the science,” Bryan noted.
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