VA New Jersey Now Vaccinating Vets, Their Families Against COVID

NEW JERSEY — VA New Jersey Health Care System can now provide COVID-19 vaccinations to all veterans and anyone who served in the military. Their spouses, caregivers and some beneficiaries are also eligible because of the federal SAVE LIVES Act signed into law March 24.

The expanded eligibility depends on readily available supply and requires the Department of Veteran Affairs to continue prioritizing veterans enrolled in VA care. Do not visit a VA facility for a vaccine without an appointment.

President Joe Biden signed the SAVE LIVES Act into law last month, removing some of the legal limits on the medical care the VA can provide veterans. The law increased eligible patients for the VA's program from 9.5 million to 33 million.

Those eligible for vaccination under the new law can visit the VA's COVID-19 vaccination webpage to register and stay informed on the agency's rollout process. VA New Jersey will get in contact when additional vaccines become available.

Two million people in the state have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. The state must fully inoculate 4.7 million people by the end of June to meet its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the adult population in six months.

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