WASHINGTON – Building off U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester’s (D-Mont.) successful efforts to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to veterans and their families, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it is accepting walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations nationwide for eligible veterans, spouses and caregivers.

The VA began administering COVID-19 vaccines to all veterans, spouses and caregivers last month as a result of the Senators’ bipartisan Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse Act (SAVE LIVES Act), which allows the VA to provide COVID-19 vaccination services to veterans and their families, regardless of whether they are enrolled in VA health care. As a result, the VA has vaccinated more than 2.7 million individuals, including more than 60,000 individuals under the SAVE LIVES Act.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is our best shot at getting back to normal, and it has been my priority to ensure every veteran has easy access to the vaccine,” said Sen. Moran. “This decision to begin walk-in vaccinations at VA facilities will help increase accessibility to the vaccine, and thanks to the SAVE LIVES Act, every veteran, their spouse and caregiver can now receive a vaccine at any VA medical center. I encourage all veterans to get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.”

“This is great news for Montana veterans and their families who will no longer have to wait to get vaccinated,” said Sen. Tester. “I fought hard to pass my bipartisan SAVE LIVES Act in Congress to ensure every veteran, spouse, and caregiver has access to a vaccine from VA, because the science shows this vaccine is a safe and effective tool in the fight to manage the spread of this virus and help save lives. I urge folks to take advantage of this convenient walk-in service at their closest VA facility as quickly as possible, so we can put this pandemic in the rearview mirror and our economy back on track.”

This walk-in service ensures all veterans enrolled in VA health care and those authorized under the SAVE LIVES Act have an opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccination from VA at their convenience. More information on COVID-19 vaccinations at VA can be found online here. 

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