VA-Portland offers veterans COVID-19 vaccines next weekend at Redmond VFW

Two-day event by appointment only

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The VA Portland Health Care System is inviting enrolled veterans of all ages and who get their care at the Bend Robert D. Maxwell VA Clinic to get scheduled for their COVID-19 shot next Saturday or Sunday at the Redmond VFW.

This two-day vaccination event is by appointment only. For those eligible veterans who have not already been scheduled, they may call VA Portland to get an appointment at (503) 273-5100, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Veterans who are not enrolled in VA for health care may check eligibility and enroll by calling the VA Health Eligibility Center at 1-877-222-VETS (8387).

VA is offering the Moderna vaccine on both days of this event. The Moderna vaccine requires two doses. Second doses will be given about four weeks after the first shot, and it will be scheduled when Veterans arrive for their first vaccination appointment.  If Veterans know they will not be available four weeks later, VA asks that they do not sign up for this event. 

VA will continue to schedule vaccinations at the Bend VA Clinic; however, that age group is still 65 years and older, but is expected to expand to younger veterans very soon.

As of Monday, VA Portland has administered more than 1,070 doses of vaccine at the Bend VA Clinic and anticipates vaccinating about 1,000 veterans during this two-day event.

This week, VA Portland is scheduled to surpass giving more than 50,000 vaccination doses across its entire health care system.

The Redmond VFW is located at 491 SW Veterans Way, Redmond, OR 97756.

For veterans who were vaccinated in the community, please notify the VA.  You can take a picture of your vaccination card and send it to your care team via MyHealtheVet, or stop by your nearest VA clinic and have staff scan it to your medical record.

Veterans should NOT sign up to be vaccinated if:

• They have had a major allergic reaction to other vaccines or any ingredients in the Moderna vaccine; or 
• They have received another immunization in the last 14 days.

The CDC DOES recommend vaccination for almost everyone else, including people who have had other types of allergic reactions (e.g., to food, pets, venom, latex, or oral medications). 

If veterans are immunocompromised or have an autoimmune condition, or if pregnant, please refer to this link and consider talking to your care provider prior to vaccination if you have any questions: Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC