Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

VHA is following CDC guidance in recommending certain moderately or severely immunocompromised people get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they previously received a primary course of either Pfizer or Moderna. 

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is contacting all Veterans directly that qualify to schedule an appointment for their third dose. The CDC guidelines are very specific at this time. Please be patient as we have nearly 3,000 Veterans to contact.

We ask that Veterans please do not call to request an appointment or come to the COVID-19 Vaccine clinics without an appointment for the third dose.

If recommended for a third dose, it is important to receive the same vaccine previously administered. If you received Pfizer previously, you should get Pfizer for your third dose. If you received Moderna previously, you should get Moderna for your third dose.

At this time, people who received the Jansen (Johnson & Johnson) single dose vaccine SHOULD NOT get an additional dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.

We are offering Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shots throughout the healthcare system to those who completed their Pfizer two-dose series six months or earlier and who meet the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria to receive the booster.

We have approximately 300 appointments per day and we will accommodate those who walk into one of our facilities across our healthcare system. Veterans who receive care in Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and are due for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shot will be identified through the VA’s various outreach tools, contacted, and offered an appointment.

Please be patient as we have nearly 15,500 Veterans who meet these criteria, and we are working to contact each Veteran at least six-months after they received their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will be offered at the following locations, days, and times across the healthcare system:

 Bay Pines VA campus, Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m.–3:00p.m.
 Lee County Healthcare Center, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m.–3:00p.m.
 Naples Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m. –11:00p.m. and 1:00p.m.–3:00p.m.
 Palm Harbor Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m.–11:00p.m. and 1:00p.m.–3:00p.m.
 Port Charlotte Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m.–11:00p.m. and 1:00p.m.– 3:00p.m.
 Sebring Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m.–11:00p.m. and 1:00p.m.–3:00p.m.
 Petersburg Community Based Outpatient Clinic Veterans and staff are to visit the Bay Pines VA campus
 Bradenton and Sarasota Community Based Outpatient Clinics offer Moderna vaccine only. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are not available at this time

It's time to get your flu shot! Veterans enrolled in VA health care can get a free flu shot during your primary care appointment or by visiting one of our facilities. Or you can choose from one of more than 70,000 in-network retail pharmacies and urgent care/walk-in locations to get your flu shot.   

Flu shots are the best way to prevent flu. Learn more about flu vaccine on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Influenza (Flu) website at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2021-2022.htm. For additional information on the symptoms of influenza and coronavirus, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm.

Flu vaccines will be offered at the following locations, days, and times across the healthcare system: