Fort Bragg included in Department of Defense initial COVID-19 vaccination plan
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fort Bragg will be one of the initial Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccination sites in the United States, the department announced Wednesday.
Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center will be one of the first 12 sites within the continental U.S. that will distribute vaccinations.
The department says it's initial allotment will be 43,875 doses. They will go to DoD uniformed service members, both active and Selected Reserve components, including members of the National Guard; dependents; retirees; civilian employees; and select DoD contract personnel.
The department says it will prioritize DOD personnel based on CDC guidance.
The early distribution sites were picked by the DoD's COVID Task Force from sites recommended by the military services and U.S. Coast Guard.
Eleven North Carolina hospital sites, including four in our area, will get early shipments of the Pfizer vaccine. Officials said these facilities have the "greatest capacity for ultra-cold storage."
On Wednesday, freezers arrived at Duke Health facilities to hold the vaccine.
The 12 DoD sites within the continental U.S. selected for vaccination distribution are:
- Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, TX
- Willford Hall, Joint Base San Antonio, TX
- Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA
- Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC
- Navy Branch Health Clinic, Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, FL
- Base Alameda Health Services (clinic), U.S. Coast Guard Base, Alameda, CA
- Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA
- Naval Hospital Pensacola, Pensacola, FL
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
- Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA
- Indiana National Guard, Franklin, IN
- New York National Guard Medical Command, Watervliet, NY
Dr. Jennifer Green with the Cumberland County Health Department said they will be working with Fort Bragg to make sure that when the vaccine is delivered, they will make sure they have all the resources to store and distribute the vaccine to those who need it first. As cases in Cumberland County are climbing, the public is urged to remain vigilant.
"It's critical for our hospital staff who are caring for our COVID-19 patients and our public health staff who will be staffing our mass dispensing sites to get vaccinated first," said Green.
