topside Volume 79 , Issue 1
NATIONAL NOTICES
28 DEC 2020 FM : CHDIRAUX TO : ALAUX ALAUX 035 / 20
Subj : COVID-19 VACCINE MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT
1 . All Auxiliarists are encouraged to read the following message from the Commandant regarding the COVID-19 vaccine .
Respectfully , Captain Scott L . Johnson Chief Director of Auxiliary ( CG-BSX )
To the Women and Men of the United States Coast Guard ,
We are at another critical stage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic . As the U . S . begins to administer the first vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 virus across the nation , the Coast Guard has started to administer the vaccine to our workforce as part of the Department of Defense plan for the Joint Force . These vaccines , which are currently voluntary , are a safe , effective measure to protect Coast Guard personnel , and by extension our families , against COVID-19 .
In the early stages of vaccine administration , limited quantities will be available . The Coast Guard plan to administer the vaccine is part of the larger Department of Defense plan , both of which follow the national prioritization set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Coast Guard medical personnel will receive vaccination priority , and subsequently perform vaccinations for Active and Reserve personnel and select civilian employees in critical essential support roles as vaccine becomes available .
As quantities increase , the Coast Guard will increase distribution and administration across our force . The Coast Guard does not plan to administer vaccinations to most civilian employees , Auxiliarists , dependent family members , or retirees ; we will instead , provide best available information on when and how you can receive a vaccine as soon as it is available .
While vaccination is voluntary , I encourage each of you to get vaccinated as soon as it is available to you . I also ask that you encourage your shipmates , family members , and friends to get vaccinated as well . I plan to receive the vaccine as soon as it is made available to senior military leaders . Getting the vaccine is about more than protecting ourselves ; vaccination will help protect our families , shipmates , friends , and the citizens we are honored to serve .
As a Nation , we will emerge from this pandemic through widespread use of a safe , effective vaccine , combined with continued adherence to our current mitigation measures , including mask-wearing , physical distancing , and hand washing .
If you have questions about the vaccine , please ask your medical provider . The health and resilience of every member of our Coast Guard ( Active , Reserve , Civilian , Auxiliary ), and our loved ones , are the foundation of Coast Guard readiness .
Thank you for your perseverance , devotion to duty , and vigilance as we continue to navigate this pandemic . We remain Stronger Together .
Admiral Karl L . Schultz Commandant U . S . Coast Guard
2 . Internet release is authorized .