COVID-19 Vaccination

• All Department of Defense (DoD) personnel are encouraged to take the vaccine to protect their health, their families, their community, and lower the public health risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
  

• Vaccines for COVID-19 are only available after they are demonstrated to be safe and effective in large Phase 3 clinical trials, have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and have been manufactured and distributed safely and securely. No steps are skipped during the clinical trial process. Vaccine safety checks are in-progress and will continue.
   
• Vaccines approved for emergency use are offered on a voluntary basis.
   
• All DoD personnel will continue to wear appropriate masks, practice physical distancing, wash hands, and follow restriction of movement to protect our safety as a large portion of the population will need to be vaccinated before COVID-19 risks diminish.
  
  
• The first COVID-19 vaccines will require two shots. The first shot starts building protection, but everyone will have to receive the second shot to receive maximum benefit from the vaccine. People who have gotten sick with COVID-19 may still benefit from getting vaccinated.
   
  
• mRNA vaccines will be some of the first COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use. mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19. They cannot give someone COVID-19 or alter your genetic makeup (DNA). mRNA stands for messenger ribonucleic acid and can most easily be described as instructions for how to make a protein or even just a piece of a protein.
  
  
• Early on, there will be a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination distribution prioritization will focus on those providing direct medical care, maintaining essential installation functions, deploying forces, and those at highest risk for developing severe illness from COVID-19.
  
  
• The vaccine will be offered to all DoD beneficiaries who want it as soon as larger quantities become available.
  

Eligibility

All DoD beneficiaries and other individuals who are eligible to receive vaccines from DoD will be offered and are encouraged to receive the COVID-19 immunization in accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and under the FDA guidelines.  The FDA may license the vaccine or release it under Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) or Expanded Access (EA) protocols.

Future FDA licensure of the vaccine may result in additional DoD guidance for the use of the vaccine as a medical readiness requirement for personnel.

*Unless waived by the President of the United States, COVID-19 vaccine(s) under EUA or EA status are not a mandatory medical readiness requirement.

Military Health System (MHS) COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Center for Healthcare Personnel

Information and resources on the COVID-19 Vaccination Program from the Defense Health Agency Immunization Healthcare Division. This information is geared toward health care personnel in the DoD. Click here to learn more

Communication Products and Educational Resources

Pre-vaccination

Vaccination

Vaccine Safety

DoD is confident in the stringent regulatory processes and requirements of the FDA. Manufacturers are required to submit their raw data for the FDA to review. Safety, immune response, and efficacy data from the trial stages are submitted to the FDA before the vaccines are authorized for use and distribution. Per FDA requirements, DoD will be monitoring and tracking reports of vaccine side effects through various surveillance activities both internal and external to the DoD.  Click here to learn more

• FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)  A video describing what an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is, why it's used, and how it applies the COVID-19 vaccine.


• U.S. Vaccine Safety System  Information on how the U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible.


• The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Vaccine Recommendations  Information on how the ACIP reviews available vaccine data, determines whether or not to recommend the vaccine and, if so, who should receive it.
  

• "Get vaccinated. Get your smartphone. Get started with v-safe"  A PDF flyer introducing the CDC V-safe application.
  


• The CDC and DOD Expanded Safety Surveillance  Information on expanded safety surveillance through existing and new systems.
  


• V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker  CDC v-safe webpage.
  


• What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 vaccine  CDC webpage highlighting common side effects and helpful tips.
  

• Acting Defense Secretary Receives COVID-19 Vaccine | Video
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | COVID-19 Vaccines
  
• CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit
  
• Social Media Toolkit
  
• DHA-IPM 20-004: DoD COVID-19 Vaccination Program Implementation
  
• Operation Warp Speed
  
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | COVID-19 Vaccines
  
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) | COVID-19 Vaccines
  
• The First Aberdeen Proving Ground Employee Receives the COVID-19 Vaccine | Video (begins at ~1:30)