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Coping with COVID: KCVA Medical Center, area VAs to receive vaccine shipment as early as today

After being left off the initial distribution list, shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna are expected to reach Kansas City area VAs as early as Monday. VA medical centers in the region to soon receive vaccines include Kansas City, Leavenworth, Topeka, Wichita and Poplar Bluff.

More veterans will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday it’s sending shipments of the Pfizer and newly-approved Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to 128 more locations nationwide. That includes locations in Kansas and Missouri.

The Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center (KCVA) said it expected to receive its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine as early as Monday.

“We are excited that our initial vaccine shipment is on its way,” said David Isaacks, KCVA Medical Center Director, in a news release. “This is a huge step forward in the fight against this deadly disease and we have set our plans in motion to start vaccinations the day after our shipment arrives.”

KCVA as well as all Kansas VA locations were left off the initial list of VA sites set to receive the Pfizer vaccine earlier this month.

With another vaccine available, KCVA, as well as locations in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and Leavenworth, Topeka and Wichita in Kansas are set to receive first shipments of COVID-19 vaccines.

KCVA said the first of its vaccines will go to their front line health care staff and veterans who are at high risk of severe illness if they contract the virus.

Due to limited availability, distribution will continue in order of assessed risk until KCVA is able to “offer it to all Veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.”

Of the 128 distribution sites announced Monday, the VA said 113 will receive the Moderna vaccine.