Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center

COVID-19 Vaccines

VA is providing the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccines, as authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Supply varies by facility. Get more information about COVID-19 vaccines at VA.

We are working to vaccinate as many eligible individuals as quickly as possible.

Easier access to vaccines and more people eligible

VA is adding walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations at all VA facilities and outpatient clinics that offer COVID-19 vaccines. Please check hours for vaccination clinics.

Congress has passed a law which allows us to offer COVID-19 vaccines to the following groups who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine:

• Veterans
• Spouse of a Veteran
• Caregivers of a Veteran
• Recipients of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) benefits

If you don't receive care at VA, we encourage you to pre-register online at least one hour before you go, to save time when you arrive. While at VA you will need to wear a face mask, and physical distancing measures will be in place. For more about vaccinations at VA, visit: www.va.gov/covidvaccine.

Note: Your employer, pharmacy, or local public health officials may offer you a COVID-19 vaccine. We encourage you to take the first opportunity you have to get a vaccine at the most convenient location for you.

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LOVELL FHCC UPDATE AS OF SEPTEMBER 15:

Our enrolled VA and Dept. of Defense patients AND ALL veterans, their spouses and caregivers (18 and older) eligible under the SAVE LIVES Act can get their vaccines through Lovell FHCC. Scroll down for information on our Saturday pediatric clinics, third doses, booster shots, and active duty military vaccinations.

Walk-ins: We are offering walk-in vaccinations for adults and pediatric patients, ages 12-17. All veterans, their spouses and caregivers, 18 and older, eligible for vaccinations under the SAVE LIVES Act, can walk-in for vaccinations between 8-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to the Immunizations Clinic in Bldg. 133EF (the Ambulatory Care Clinic), at our main North Chicago hospital.

Pediatric patients, 12-17, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and may walk-in Thursdays between 8-11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. to the Immunizations Clinic in Bldg. 133EF. This includes TRICARE beneficiaries AND children of veterans now eligible under the SAVE LIVES Act (SLA).

As an integrated health care center that cares for both VA and DoD patients, Lovell FHCC continues to schedule vaccinations for our TRICARE beneficiaries. This includes spouses and children of active duty service members, who must be enrolled Lovell FHCC patients to schedule vaccinations.

Newly eligible SLA veterans, their spouses and caregivers, and Lovell FHCC volunteers, must register at Lovell FHCC before they can receive a vaccination through Lovell FHCC. These are the registration options: 

• Link to the VA's Keep Me informed tool online at www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/ to indicate interest in receiving a vaccine from VA/Lovell FHCC. The KMI Tool auto-generates a confirmation email with the date and time of its receipt. Please wait at least one business day from the date and time listed in the confirmation email. At that point, you will be contacted by the FHCC via a text or phone call, to schedule your vaccination appointment. Or you also may opt to call our Scheduling line, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., M-F, at 224-610-3899.

• Those eligible under SLA also have the option of registering by phone, by calling 224-610-3747. Then you may ask to be transferred to the scheduling line, or call 224-610-3899, to schedule vaccination appointments.

• Present in person, during business hours, to Patient Registration. For specific questions regarding eligibility, please call 224-610-3747.

• For weekday registration, new patients should report to Patient Registration, located on the first floor of Building 133CA, at our main North Chicago hospital.
• Weekend registration is conducted in the Emergency Department.

Enrolled patients (including those registered under SLA) may continue to call 224-610-3899 to schedule weekday and weekend appointments at Lovell FHCC. The vaccine Scheduling line hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. 

Pediatric clinics, by appointment: Pediatric appointments can be made for Thursdays (see above) and some Saturdays. The Saturday clinics are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Immunizations Clinic at the main hospital. Dates are Oct. 9, Oct. 30, Nov. 20 and Dec. 11. Call 224-610-3899 to schedule.

Third doses and Booster shots:

• Lovell FHCC is administering third doses to patients who are immunocompromised according to CDC guidlines found here - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html - no less than 28 days after the two-dose series. No walk-ins please. Third doses will be administered in the Immunizations Clinic in the main hospital. Please discuss the third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine with your provider. You will be given the same vaccine you received previously. Third doses are not authorized for the J & J vaccine at this time. Lovell FHCC staff are contacting eligible patients.
• Those who aren't regular Lovell FHCC patients but received their COVID-19 vaccinations here under SAVE LIVES Act eligibility also are eligible to schedule a third dose if they are immunocompromised, based on CDC guidance. No walk-ins please. Call 224-610-3899.
• Please note that third doses are different than booster shots, which we expect to begin offering this fall. Boosters are for non-immunocompromised people who were fully protected from two doses but whose vaccines lose some efficacy over time after the second dose. 

Active Duty vaccine information:

The Department of Defense already requires all active duty service members to get other types of vaccines before they join the military. The COVID-19 vaccine has been added to the list for all active duty service members (ADSMs) and National Guard members*. Mandatory vaccination will only use FDA-approved vaccines. At this time, Pfizer has received full FDA approval, based on rigorous studies and efficacy and safety data collected during use over the past year. 

Service members may opt-in for Moderna or Janssen (J & J) vaccines, which have received Emergency Use Authorization. Those who are fully immunized with J & J or Moderna vaccines do not need to be vaccinated again with Pfizer. Those previously infected with COVID-19 are not considered fully vaccinated.

• If you’re a service member and you’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine from a non-DoD provider, make sure to update your medical records. You can bring your COVID-19 vaccine card to Fisher Clinic (bldg. 237) to have your record updated. 

• If you haven’t received your COVID vaccine yet, schedule your vaccine as soon as you can.

• Lovell FHCC staff members should contact Employee Occupational Health to schedule a vaccine appointment. Email: FHCCLovellStaffCOVID-19VaccineRequest@va.gov. All clinics take place in the Employee Occupational Heath area, Bldg. 133CA, Room 2D-135 (behind Imaging). Questions? Send to: FHCCLovellOccupationalHealthCOVID19@va.gov.

• DoD dependents or those needing Moderna/Janssen (J&J) vaccines may contact the Lovell FHCC appointment line to schedule appointments: 1-224-610-3899.

• For commands with fewer than 10 people, walk-in vaccinations are available 8:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, at Fisher Clinic, Bldg. 237, Naval Station Great Lakes, in the Immunizations Clinic.

  Active Duty, DoD civilian employees, DoD contractors:

  -Those not enrolled for care at Lovell FHCC must register before they may receive the vaccination, at least 24-48 hours prior.

  -To register, call 224-610-3747, or send an encrypted email to FHCCLovellPADAdmissions@va.gov.

  -Vaccines will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

  -The Immunizations POC can be reached at 847-688-6712, ext. 89702 (not for scheduling)

Active Duty Mass Vaccinations:

For commands with significant vaccination needs, the Lovell FHCC Public Health Department is prepared to coordinate a mass vaccination evolution for your command on NAVSTA Great Lakes.

To schedule, contact the Public Health Scheduler HM2 Gordon, brandonlee.gordon.mil@mail.mil; or LCDR Paul/LCDR Modglin, jenny.paul@va.gov, joseph.s.modglin.mil@mail.mil. You may also call 847-688-6755, ext. 80861.

Get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect yourself, your family, your community, and our nation!

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit www.tricare.mil/COVIDVaccine.

Watch Lovell FHCC social media pages (https://www.facebook.com/lovellfhcc, https://twitter.com/lovellfhcc) and our website for updates. You also may refer to the DoD site: https://www.defense.gov/explore/spotlight/coronavirus/.

The official website of the Military Health System also is a very good resource for the latest vaccine information, inlcuding the DoD vaccine mandate: https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Combat-Support/Public-Health/Coronavirus

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