Veterans,

VA North Texas Health Care System is offering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster starting on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at the SCI Gym, in the Dallas VA Medical Center, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., under Emergency Use Authorization. Patients may walk-in or schedule an appointment for the booster by calling 214-857-4791.

This decision follows the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) announcement authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations, as follows:

Individuals who should get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster include:
People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings who received a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 primary vaccine series at least six months ago
People 50 to 64 years old with underlying medical conditions who received a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 primary vaccine series at least six months ago
Individuals who may opt to get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster dose, based on their individual benefits and risks, including:
People 18 to 49 years old with underlying medical conditions who received a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 primary vaccine series at least six months ago
People 18 to 64 years old who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of their occupational or institutional setting who received a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 primary vaccine series at least six months ago
Currently, only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been authorized as a booster shot. The FDA and CDC continue to review data to determine whether and when a booster might be recommended for recipients of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine(s). VA North Texas will plan to offer boosters of these vaccines, if authorized and recommended.

Dallas VAMC is open for walk-ins from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the SCI Gym, where Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccines are available to Veterans receiving care at VA and VA employees, as well as all other Veterans, spouses, caregivers and CHAMPVA recipients under the authority of the SAVE LIVES Act, as supply and capacity permits. If you would like to schedule an appointment, you may call 214-857-4791.

If you are going to visit the Dallas VAMC to receive your COVID-19 booster shot, please bring your vaccine card. Additionally, to protect the VA North Texas employees, patients, and visitors, and to ensure the continuity of services and activities, all VA North Texas employees, on-site contractors, Veterans, patients, and other individuals entering VA North Texas buildings, on all campuses, will be required to wear face masks at all times, maintain physical distancing, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in the Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing and CDC guidelines.

The VA says and I paraphrase quote, “you are considered fully vaccinated if you have received 1 J&J or 2 doses of the other”, “a booster isn’t required”. Its right in the emails they send.