FALLS CHURCH, Va. –
Today, the Department of Defense (DOD) officially moved vaccination sites to tier 2 of the DOD Population Schema. This means all eligible or authorized TRICARE beneficiaries and DOD individuals can make an appointment to get the
COVID-19 vaccine at DOD sites as it becomes available.
“This is great news for our service members and their families,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim. “They’ve been patiently waiting for their opportunity to get vaccinated. When they do, they’ll help play a huge role in slowing the spread of the virus.”
This important milestone coincides with President Biden’s recent announcement that all adults in the U.S. would be eligible to receive a vaccine starting April 19. If you’re in a priority tier and haven’t scheduled an appointment yet, make sure you do so as soon as possible. As stated by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “COVID-19 vaccination will be an important tool to help stop the pandemic.” Those in a priority tier may include health care workers, deploying service members, and those at
higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Scheduling your COVID-19 vaccine appointment
In most cases, you’ll need to book an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine. When you’re ready to do so, there are several tools to help you schedule an appointment at your local military hospital, clinic, or DOD vaccination site. You can visit
COVID-19 Department of Defense Vaccine Appointments to see what appointment tools your location is using. If you live outside of the U.S., visit
overseas COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
Not seeing your location listed? You can contact your
military hospital or clinic to find out about their vaccination process. Military hospitals and clinics are doing their best to make COVID-19 appointments available for all eligible TRICARE beneficiaries as vaccine supply increases. In some cases, you may need to check in regularly with your military hospital or clinic to learn when new appointments will be available.
You have other options for getting the COVID-19 vaccine if a military hospital, clinic, or DOD vaccination site isn’t an option for you. Go to
COVID Vaccine to see what they are.
The COVID-19 vaccine itself is free. But there may be a cost based on
your health plan for an office visit with a provider, or if you need follow-on care. Be sure to talk to your
TRICARE contractor if you have questions about possible costs you may encounter. Active duty service members in the U.S. or a U.S. territory no longer need a referral or authorization to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
If you haven’t gotten vaccinated, your turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine is coming soon. Keep
doing your part to slow the spread of COVID-19. And follow the CDC’s recommendations even
after you’re fully vaccinated. Doing so will protect your health and those around you.
Learn more about
how to find a COVID-19 vaccine, and keep up with vaccine updates through TRICARE’s
“Got Your 6” video series.
Sign up for email alerts, and keep up with TRICARE and COVID-19 updates.
At the time of posting, this information is current. Visit www.cdc.gov or TRICARE COVID Guidance for the most current COVID-19 information.