U.S. Army 1st Lt. Kate Hammermaster, a medical surgical nurse assigned to the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, reconstitutes and draws vaccines at the Orlando Community Vaccination Center in Orlando, Florida, March 31, 2021. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by MSgt Lakisha Croley/325th Fighter Wing, Public Affairs)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
WASHINGTON – PENTAGON – In line with President Biden’s direction, all eligible Department of Defense personnel and beneficiaries can now make an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccination, the Pentagon announced this week. Dr. Terry Adirim, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, made the announcement during a COVID-19 vaccination update with reporters at the Pentagon.
“We are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated because these vaccines are very effective and safe and are a critical part of us getting back to normal,” Adirim said during a press briefing with Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director of the Defense Health Agency.
(Photo Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Jamal Brown opens a COVID-19 media briefing with Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim and the director of the Defense Health Agency, Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 21, 2021
(credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim (Left) and Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director, Defense Health Agency, provide a COVID-19 update to the media at the Pentagon in Washington DC April 21, 2021.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO / U.S. Defense Department to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible beneficiaries by May 1, 2021. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim and Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director, Defense Health Agency, provide a COVID-19 update to the media in the Pentagon in Washington DC April 21, 2021.
Last month, the Biden Pentagon said the DOD will be ready to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible beneficiaries by May 1, and that the entire military force may vaccinated by by early Summer.
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Pause has had Minimal impact on the DOD
– no cases within DOD of any blood clotting problems related to the J&J vaccine reported
Adirim said the decision to pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has had minimal impact on the department because only a small number of that vaccine were allocated to DOD. “With regards to the J&J vaccine last week, when the CDC and FDA announced they were recommending a pause in their use, DOD rapidly stopped administration and separated our J&J doses from our active vaccine supply,” Adirim said. She added that the DOD “is committed to transparency about our activities and we intend to provide you with reliable and consistent data. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, DOD has had 282,166 cases, 3,942 hospitalizations and unfortunately 344 deaths.”
There has been no cases in DOD of blood clotting related to J&J vaccine, Place said.
“We are not aware of any clotting disorders or — or challenges related to the J&J vaccine, Janssen vaccine, currently within our system. That said, based on that guidance that I published, you know, it’s very specifically tailored guidance, I will tell you that we’re getting all kinds of people writing into our own internal vaccine adverse event reporting system with things that they’re seeing. But at present, we’ve not yet seen a case, we’re not anticipating seeing a case. That’s just the information I have so far.”
(credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director, Defense Health Agency, provides a COVID-19 update to the media in the Pentagon in Washington DC April 21, 2021.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO / U.S. Defense Department to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible beneficiaries by May 1, 2021. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim and Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director, Defense Health Agency, provide a COVID-19 update to the media in the Pentagon in Washington DC April 21, 2021.
(credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director, Defense Health Agency, provides a COVID-19 update to the media in the Pentagon in Washington DC April 21, 2021.
DOD Has Administered 2.62 Million Vaccine Doses Thus Far
Place said the vaccine is being administered as fast as it’s received. “As of yesterday afternoon, we have administered over 2.62 million doses to those eligible within the department and at least another 440,000 doses have been administered to beneficiaries in the Tricare pharmacy and provider network,” Place said. Regarding those DOD personnel and family members stationed overseas, Place said that by June 1, 80% of that population should be able to receive a first dose. The department is closely monitoring the FDA’s review of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents age 12 to 15, he noted. “We’re already developing plans to deliver this vaccine to our family member population — both overseas and in the United States — should it be approved for use in this age group.”
“We continue to see vaccine update rates increase with each passing week. We’re thankful for those who have taken this step protecting themselves, their teammates, their families, and those most vulnerable. And Dr. Adirim mentioned with the opening of vaccine appointments to all eligible persons in the DOD, I truly expect this trend to continue.”
-Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director, Defense Health Agency
