# July 15, 2021, all Veterans/spouses in Philippines eligible to receive a COVID-19 Vaccine from VA Manila.



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

*MANILA VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS*​
July 15, 2021


As of today, July 15, 2021, all Veterans and spouses of Veterans in the Philippines are eligible to receive a COVID-19 Vaccine from VA Manila.
VA Manila is not yet able to accommodate caregivers with COVID-19 Vaccines. We also are not able to provide an estimated date when this may be possible. We appreciate your continued patience.
VA Manila will offer Walk-In COVID-19 vaccine clinics on Sunday, July 18 from 11:30A – 2P, and on Monday and Tuesday, July 19 - 20 from 9A-2P. Veterans and Spouses must arrive at the VA Clinic by 2P to receive a walk-in COVID-19 vaccine. Late arriving Veterans will not be able to be accommodated. Veterans are also encouraged not to arrive before the start of scheduled walk-in clinic.
Non-Enrolled Veterans and Spouses who would prefer to be scheduled for a COVID-19 vaccine should complete the attached COVID-19 Scheduling Worksheet and return it to the VA one of three ways: 1.) Veteran’s Secure Messenger on MyHealtheVet, 2.) Email to [email protected]; or 3.) fax to: +63 (02) 8550-3964.
*COVID-19 VACCINATIONS FOR ALL VETERANS & SPOUSES

Based on our current available supply, VA Manila is now able to offer COVID-19 vaccine appointments to spouses of Veterans in the Philippines effective immediately.* If you are Veteran, it’s now time for you and your spouse to get a COVID-19 vaccine from VA Manila. Please consider making an appointment and getting your vaccine as soon as possible. Our goal is to vaccinate as many Veterans as safely and quickly as possible before Saturday, August 7, 2021. Please help us meet our goal.

Veterans who have never been to the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic before, as well as their eligible spouses who wish to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment must complete the attached COVID-19 VACCINATION WORKSHEET: SAVE LIVES ACT and return it to the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic. You can return the attached form to the clinic one of three ways: 1.) use the Veteran’s Secure Message System within MyHealtheVet and send to your Primary Care Team; 2.) fax the completed form to the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic at: +63-02-8550-3964; or 3.) email the completed form to [email protected]. Please wait 2 business days after submitting your form for it to be processed. Once processed, you can call to schedule an appointment for your vaccine. The Clinic needs to register you in our medical record system before we are able to schedule you an appointment.

You can also call the Clinic and speak to an enrollment staff member who can enroll you and give you an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, but given the anticipated demand, phone lines may have extended hold times. To reach the dedicated VA Manila COVID-19 scheduling hotline, please call: +63-02-8550-3888, Press Option 2 for the Outpatient Clinic, and the Option 3 for COVID-19 vaccine appointments. You can also dial the Clinic toll free at #MyVA (#6982) on any Smart, Sun, or Globe mobile device.

Currently, VA Manila is not able to accommodate caregivers in our vaccination efforts. In accordance with the SAVES LIVES Act, VA Manila is prioritizing Veterans and spouses based on available vaccine supply and anticipated demand. We will continue to provide regular updates about our vaccine availability. Please note, the SAVES LIVES Act did NOT authorize VA to provide COVID-19 vaccines to dependents, and furthermore the J&J Vaccine is not approved for use in minors under the age of 18.

*Expanded Hours of Operation for COVID-19 Vaccinations*

VA Manila is trying to vaccinate as many Veterans and spouses as possible. To that end, many of our staff will be working extended hours over the next several weekends to offer as many options as possible to get a COVID-19 vaccine. We will be administering vaccines every weekday between now and August 6, 2021, with the target audience for weekday appointments Veterans who already have scheduled clinic appointments on those days. In addition to weekday vaccine appointments, VA Manila will have dedicated COVID-19 Mass Vaccine Clinics on the following Saturdays and Sundays:

Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 12:00 – 15:00

Sunday, July 18, 2021 – 08:00 – 15:00 *Walk in Hours from 11A – 2P*

Saturday, July 24, 2021 – 08:00 – 15:00

Saturday, July 31, 2021 – 08:00 – 15:00

Sunday, August 1, 2021 – 08:00 – 15:00

Saturday, August 7, 2021 – 08:00 – 15:00

Please consider scheduling to come on a Saturday or Sunday. Usually traffic conditions in the Metro Manila area are much more favorable on the weekends, and we are hoping to vaccinate between 300 – 400 Veterans each of the days above. However, if you would prefer a weekday appointment, we will do everything we can to accommodate your request for a vaccine on your specific day.

This upcoming weekend, on Sunday, July 18 from 11a-3p, and on Monday and Tuesday, July 19-20, 2021, VA Manila will also offer same day walk-in registration and vaccination. Please be certain to arrive no later than 2:00 PM if you wish to walk-in for a vaccination, to ensure we can complete the necessary paperwork and registration protocols.

*How do I get scheduled for an appointment? *

_Getting an appointment for a COVID-19 Vaccine is easy – follow one of these 3 steps!_

A dedicated phone line has been set up at the VA Manila Clinic to accommodate the high demand to schedule vaccine appointments. Veterans can contact the Manila Outpatient Clinic at +63-02-8550-3888, Press Option 2 for the Outpatient Clinic, then press 3 for COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling. Please understand that there may be extended hold times over the next several days as we try to schedule as many Veterans as possible. The Clinic’s phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8AM to 3PM.
If you would like to be scheduled on one of the upcoming Saturday or Sunday mass vaccination clinic days, you can send a Secure Message to your primary care team via MyHealtheVet with your preferred date and time. One of our staff members will get back to you to confirm your appointment.
You can also send an email with your preferred date and time to [email protected]. Please include your last name, last 4 of your SSN, and your current address and phone number in your email so that we can confirm the information on file. VA Manila will send you a text message to confirm your appointment time, or an email reply if no cellular phone is on file.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

That is good news, and unexpected. Too bad the hassle of getting to Manila and back would be too much for me... testing, quarantine etc...


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Tukaram said:


> That is good news, and unexpected. Too bad the hassle of getting to Manila and back would be too much for me... testing, quarantine etc...


And that could be twice.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Gary D said:


> And that could be twice.


Wrong. J&J Vaccine is once.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

Hey_Joe said:


> Wrong. J&J Vaccine is once.


I don't think he is wrong as he said "could be twice" not that "it would be twice".

I would make sure they are not using the SinoVac at the VA because then you "could" be traveling 3 times if they decide you need a booster shot from Pfizer, astra-zeneca, moderna, etc...This is what is happening in Thailand as they are finding out the SinoVac vaccine was not very effective and maybe not at all effective against the delta variant.


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Zep said:


> I don't think he is wrong as he said "could be twice" not that "it would be twice".
> 
> I would make sure they are not using the SinoVac at the VA because then you "could" be traveling 3 times if they decide you need a booster shot from Pfizer, astra-zeneca, moderna, etc...This is what is happening in Thailand as they are finding out the SinoVac vaccine was not very effective and maybe not at all effective against the delta variant.


Did you read the announcement? It's the J&J Vaccine. 1 dose.

Please note, the SAVES LIVES Act did NOT authorize VA to provide COVID-19 vaccines to dependents, and furthermore the *J&J Vaccine* is not approved for use in minors under the age of 18


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

To be fair the part about the J&J Vaccine was under the header about caregivers so I did not read that part. So if that is true then great news for the Vets.


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