St. Cloud VA Health Care System

Crystal DeMoss, Associate Nurse Manager of Community Living Center Unit 49-2 provides the first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Korean War Veteran Curtis Sannerud at the same time as St. Cloud VA Nursing Assistant Dan Willems receives his vaccine at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center on Dec. 22, 2020. Danielle Johnson, Associate Nurse Manager of Unit 49-1 in which Willems works, provided the vaccine to Willems. The St. Cloud VA is one of 113 VA Medical Centers across the country to receive the first limited supply of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and is first distributing it to long-term care residents and high-risk VA employees.

A U.S. Army and Korean War Veteran and a Nursing Assistant who is also a Veteran were first in line Tuesday to receive a coronavirus vaccination at the Community Living Center at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center. 

Curtis Sannerud volunteered to receive the first dose of the vaccine."I hope everybody gets it," he said.  

Joining him to receive his vaccine at the same time on Tuesday Dec. 22 was St. Cloud VA Nursing Assistant Dan Willems. Willems is also a Veteran, and the two elected to receive their vaccine together.

Sannerud has been living in the CLC for almost six years, and for the past 9 months, staff have focused efforts on keeping him and the other CLC residents safe from coronavirus.  

This resulted in limited visits from family members and friends, limited some routine activities, and even limited contact with other residents in other CLC units, all of which placed great psychological stress and created a sense of isolation in residents, families and staff members.

“Everyone in the CLC has been through significant and various challenges during this pandemic,” said Dr. Christopher Churchill, Director or Rehabilitation and Extended Care, “but we’ve been through it together, and I am proud and humbled that our Veterans and staff are getting the vaccine together. We look forward to the vaccine supporting us in our efforts to return to a more normal state.” 

“We know how important our residents are to their families, how the pandemic has disrupted many people’s lives, and we share the feelings of frustration when families can’t visit residents,” said Churchill. “We also share a deep sense of loss over the illness or tragic loss of loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

The St. Cloud VA received 1,300 initial doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.  

"Our plan is to concentrate on vaccinating nursing home residents and staff this week and vaccinating other high-risk staff members starting Dec. 28. When enough vaccine is available, our goal is to offer the vaccine to all Veterans and staff who want it,” said JD Anderson, Chief of Pharmacy for the St. Cloud VA. 

The St. Cloud VA expects to see a second shipment of vaccines by early January, which will allow the staff to begin vaccinating Veterans who don't live in the long-term care facility, said Anderson. 

In time, the St. Cloud VA will offer free COVID-19 vaccination safely to all enrolled Veterans and employees who want it when enough vaccine is available. VA will be offering the vaccine to Veterans based on the prioritization guidelines outlined by the CDC and VA Central Office.  There is no need to preregister or come to a facility to sign up.