On Jan. 31, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued formal licensure of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine also known as Spikevax for people ages 18 and up. This is the second vaccine to receive FDA-approval, following the licensure of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, now called COMIRNATY® in August 2021. The Johnson & Johnsen/Janssen single-doses vaccine received Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization on Feb. 27, 2021. Most recently, the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine received FDA Emergency Use Authorization on July 13, 2022 and is presently approved for use only as a primary series.

Following CDC guidance, DOD will continue to adjust health protection protocols to the local conditions of the communities in which we serve. The Department’s priorities include:

• Protecting our Service members, DOD civilians, and families
• Safeguarding our national security capabilities
• Supporting the whole-of-nation response to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Reducing the long-term health effects of COVID-19

The CDC recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone age six months and older. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you, your family, your community and our nation. Eligible and authorized TRICARE beneficiaries can make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, as available, at a DOD vaccination site.

COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit Page TRICARE Beneficiary Information

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters

You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines if you have completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and received the most recent bivalent dose recommended for you by the CDC.

Vaccine recommendations are based on your age, the vaccine you first received, and time since last dose. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.

Updated bivalent vaccines are now recommended for anyone six months old and older. Per the CDC, bivalent mRNA vaccines are not authorized at this time for primary series doses with the following exception: children ages six months - four years who receive two primary series doses of a monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should receive a bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as their third primary series dose. Consult with your primary care manager on availability and the best options to help protect you and your loved ones from severe illness, hospitalization, or death from COVID-19

Find more information at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

Vaccine Safety

COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue to be remarkably effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Omicron variant.

The CDC confirms COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and recommend that all people 5 years and older get COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as possible.

Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccine development has processes and procedures in place to help ensure the safety of any vaccine authorized for use. Vaccines for COVID-19 are only available after they are:

• Demonstrated to be safe and effective in large phase three clinical trials
• Authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Manufactured and distributed safely and securely

Visit the CDC Website to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.

Concerns about the vaccine?

Speak with a Vaccine Expert. You may contact the DHA-Immunization Healthcare Support Center at 1-877-GET-VACC (1-877-438-8222) option 1 or Defense Switch Network (DSN) 761-4245, option 1, if you have questions about the vaccines or about an adverse event following vaccination.