By JEFF STITT
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., announced in early December that it would begin providing COVID-19 vaccines for VA staff and veterans.
On Thursday, state Rep. Austin Davis, D-McKeesport, and the Veterans Breakfast Club released information on behalf of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System encouraging eligible veterans from the Mon Valley to take advantage of the ability to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at an upcoming event.
The vaccine requires two doses given approximately 21 days apart.
Davis said the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System will host walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Monday at the University Drive campus in Oakland. There are currently no VA COVID-19 vaccine administration locations in the Mon Valley.
The VAPHS told the Tribune-Review that VA officials plan to administer around 1,000 doses Saturday and 1,000 doses Monday.
To receive a vaccine, veterans must be age 75 or older, be eligible for and enrolled in VA health care and receive care at VA Pittsburgh.
No appointment is necessary for the first shot, Davis said. Every veteran will receive a second appointment date before they leave the Vaccine Clinic.
“Our veterans who receive shot #1 during this walk-in vaccine clinic will be scheduled for their second shot appointment to occur on or around Feb. 13 or Feb.15, 2021, to return to VAPHS for shot #2,” the Veterans Breakfast Club nonprofit said in a Facebook post.
“Our veterans answered the call when we needed them most,” Davis said. “It’s our turn to do our part, which is why I encourage eligible veterans to capitalize on this life-saving opportunity.”
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