Bradenton, Sarasota VA clinics offer COVID-19 vaccines to veterans

Veterans enrolled in the VA medical system can now get vaccinated against the coronavirus at clinics and hospitals in the Bay Pines healthcare system, including clinics in Bradenton and Sarasota.

For veterans seeking vaccines at outpatient clinics and other medical centers within the Bay Pines system, only those over 65, under 65 with high risk health conditions, and essential frontline workers of all ages can be vaccinated there at this time, said Anna Hancock, spokeswoman for the system. High risk health conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart failure and more.

“Plans are under development to host several vaccine clinics offsite and in collaboration with our community partners as part of our focused outreach to underserved populations, which may be in rural areas or in some cases urban areas,” Hancock added in an email.

Veterans eligible for vaccines at VA medical centers and clinics will be contacted to schedule an appointment. They can also call their care teams to express interest in a vaccine, and a note will be placed in their medical record.

As of Friday, more than 26,500 veterans had received an initial vaccine dose within the Bay Pines system with more than 14,000 having completed a second dose, according to national data. In the Tampa VA healthcare system, more than 28,000 had received their initial dose, and more than 15,500 had completed their doses.

Only veterans enrolled in the VA health care system are eligible to get a vaccine from the VA. But earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, announced that he is a co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation that would expand access to COVID-19 vaccine through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The VA Vaccine Act would provide vaccines to all veterans — including those not currently enrolled in the VA healthcare system, as well as to caregivers who provide essential support to veterans.

It would close a loophole in rules that prohibits VA officials from administering the vaccine to anyone except individuals already registered in department medical care programs. Currently, less than half of all veterans are enrolled in healthcare services at the VA.

Herald staff writer James A. Jones Jr. contributed to this story.

This story was originally published March 5, 2021 at 11:29 AM.