COVID-19 Vaccine Effort Continues at Central Virginia Veterans Clinics – CVHCS Totals More Than 24,600 Doses

As the COVID-19 vaccination effort continues, the Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS) is moving steadily toward an important milestone: 25,000 individual doses. 

Operating vaccine clinics in Fredericksburg, Richmond, Charlottesville and Emporia, CVHCS providers have ramped up efforts to vaccinate Veterans, volunteers and staff since administering the first dose in December last year.

With increasing availability of the vaccine and through a concerted effort from clinic staff and appointment schedulers, nearly every drop of the vaccine has been used thus far. Currently, the Richmond clinic is offering vaccination appointments for Veterans age 50 and up, while the Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Fredericksburg and Emporia are age 60 and up, and Charlottesville is at age 55 and up. 

“We have increased our capacity to provide the vaccine for our Veterans – 25,000 individual doses in less than three months is an accomplishment the clinic teams must be proud of,” said Jim Dudley, associate director of CVHCS. “We have gotten great and positive feedback from many Veterans. To have gone from zero available vaccines before December last year to now nearly reaching 25,000 is a testament to the commitment, focus and hard work of each member of the team and I’m honored to serve alongside everyone who is working so hard serve our Veterans in Central Virginia.” 

Dudley, who has headed the CVHCS Incident Command since it was initiated last March at the beginning of the pandemic, works directly with clinic leadership and staff to support their efforts and ensure as many Veterans are served as possible each day. A steady supply of the vaccine variants helps ensure the maximum amount of appointments are scheduled each day, and as more vaccines are fielded nationally, the numbers will continue to grow.

“Each day we are seeing and vaccinating as many Veterans and staff as our supply allows and we’re maximizing our efficiency to ensure we limit any waste,” said Dudley. “I cannot speak any higher of the teamwork and spirit of service the vaccine clinic staff have in this effort, and hopefully we can reach as many people as possible who would like the vaccine.” 

CVHCS is now more than a year into its pandemic response – the Incident Command was initiated on March 9 last year as local, state and national response teams began to address the worsening public health crisis. Now, with the vaccines reaching more and more people, the end of the pandemic might be coming into view. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced its first set of recommended guidance for people who have been fully vaccinated, including not needing to wear a mask near other fully vaccinated people. Through it all, the clinic teams across Central Virginia have remained committed to their primary mission: serving Veterans, according to April Mizell, administrative officer with the Community Based Ambulatory Care Section within CVHCS. 

“Our focus has been almost exclusively on our COVID-19 response for more than a year now,” said Mizell, who is originally from Chesapeake, Virginia. “It has been a hectic, tiring 12-months, but each nurse, each provider, each Medical Support Assistant, everyone on the team has done an amazing job taking care of our Veterans.” 

As part of the Community Based Ambulatory Care Section, Mizell assists with administrative requirements of the CBOCs. The focus of the entire health care system has been inspiring, according to Mizell, who joined the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2008.

“It has been incredible to see the commitment of so many people working together, especially during these challenging times,” said Mizell. “What we are doing will literally save lives and everyone has a real sense of purpose because of that. Our Veterans deserve world class service, and we work very hard to make this happen.”