Baltimore VA Medical Center Vaccinating Employees, Long-Term Residents Against COVID-19
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore VA Medical Center began administering COVID-19 vaccinations to its frontline healthcare workers, veterans residing in long-term care units and inpatients with spinal cord injuries. Wednesday.
The Baltimore center is among the 37 VA medical centers across the country that received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week. The sites were chosen based on their ability to vaccinate a large number of people and properly store the vaccine.
"We at the VA Maryland Health Care System are proud to be a part of the initial 37 VA medical centers receiving the vaccine," said Jonathan Eckman, acting director of the health care system. "We are dedicated to ensuring all Veterans receiving care at VA and our employees are ultimately offered the vaccine."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated that the Pfizer vaccine is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19. Two doses are needed, 21 days apart.
The VA will report data on the vaccines to the CDC.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
