FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- ST. PAUL, Minn.-- Approximately 1.5 million people worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19, making vaccination efforts more crucial than ever.
A team of approximately 140 Airmen from 24 bases spread throughout the U.S., including Fairchild Air Force Base, have come together in St. Paul to help support the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in an effort to vaccinate Americans against COVID-19.
Airmen from the 92nd Medical Group began their support in April at the St. Paul Vaccination Center (CVC), where around 3,000 vaccinations are distributed daily.
“We are proud of the efforts and contributions our Airmen from the 92nd MDG are providing to FEMA and whole-of-government COVID-19 support,” said Col. Heather Nelson, 92nd MDG commander. “At the 92nd MDG, our Airmen are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our service members, civilians and families nationwide.”
The vaccination site opened less than a month ago, and has already vaccinated over 38,000 community members, with numbers continuing to grow.
“The medics are our linchpins in this process, but the countless other AFSCs supporting this site are instrumental in many other roles that allow our medical team to deliver those vaccines,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Timothy Lenker, 64th Air Expeditionary Group detachment 3 first sergeant.
The medics have also been working with several agencies since setting up the CVC to include the Minnesota Department of Health and other emergency management teams.
“We are committed to breaking the cycle of transmission, not just on our installation, but throughout the nation,” said Lt. Col. Brett Linck, 92nd Operational Medical Readiness Squadron commander. “Our Airmen are ready to defend and assist our nation in a time of need, and by working together as a Total Force unit to break this cycle, we can do our part to counter the ‘most immediate’ threat to our Nation.”
The CVC will continue to serve the St. Paul community by administering vaccines for weeks to come. For more information about the CVC please visit https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/vaccine-support/vaccine-center.
(Information from a 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs news release was used in this story)