Vandenberg ‘fighting back’ against coronavirus with first round of vaccinations

Medical workers at Vandenberg Air Force Base have administered the first round of COVID-19 vaccinations about 10 months into the pandemic.

The 30th Medical Group members began issuing coronavirus vaccinations on Jan. 6 to military and civilian personnel on the base near Lompoc.

The U.S. Department of Defense distributed the vaccine to Vandenberg AFB and other select locations as part of Operation Warp Speed, a national initiative to safely and efficiently vaccinate the American public.

“It’s a very exciting and historic day that we were able to get the COVID-19 vaccine here,” said Col. Jessica Spitler, 30th Medical Group commander.

Armed with vaccines, the 30th Medical Group members launched a five-station point of distribution system at the medical facility to begin the local campaign dubbed Operation Fight Back.

“The Medical Group is doing a fantastic job of giving the vaccine to all of our eligible beneficiaries,” Spitler said. “I’m excited to see the end of this pandemic, and this is our first step on fighting back!”

Vaccines will be administered during the next few months, following the Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccine plan to “implement a phased, standardized and coordinated strategy for prioritizing, distributing and administering COVID-19 vaccines to protect our people, maintain readiness, and support the national COVID-19 response,” officials said.

Since it remains under emergency use authorization, the vaccine currently is not mandatory, defense officials said.

In the future, the Department of Defense may mandate the vaccine for military personnel or personnel in specific fields, as it does for the influenza vaccine. However, that won’t occur until the Food and Drug Administration formally licenses the vaccine.

Defense officials also said that anyone who has had COVID-19 should receive the vaccine since the duration of immunity following an infection remain unknown.

Technical Sgt. Amber Keerah Recio, 30th Medical Operations Squadron aerospace medical service technician, helps fellow medical worker Senior Airman Dakota Orozco-Garcia through the COVID-19 vaccine registration process.Click to view larger

Technical Sgt. Amber Keerah Recio, 30th Medical Operations Squadron aerospace medical service technician, helps fellow medical worker Senior Airman Dakota Orozco-Garcia through the COVID-19 vaccine registration process. (Michael Peterson / U.S. Space Force photo)

Military officials have said the first supply of vaccines will go to individuals providing direct medical care, those maintaining essential installation function, personnel deploying overseas and those at thethe highest risk for developing severe illness from COVID-19.

More groups will be added to the list of recipients in later rounds.

Airman 1st Class Douglas Moore admitted he previously had reservations about getting the vaccination but researched the issue and decided the benefits outweigh the risk.

“It’s a good day,” said Moore, one of the medical workers administering the initial vaccinations. “I’m excited about the vaccine rolling out, getting it as early as we are and what it means for the status of social life in the country.”