The U.S. Army Health Clinic Kaiserslautern conducted its first inoculations of healthcare workers with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 30. Clinic Commander Maj. Shara Fisher, a family nurse practitioner, was first the receive the vaccine.

“I chose to get the vaccine today in an effort to demonstrate my confidence in its safety and encourage all others to get the vaccine when it’s time,” Fisher said. “I am excited that we were able to vaccinate our clinic personnel today as they have worked hard over the course of this pandemic to keep our community safe.”

The arrival of the vaccine paves the way for a phased vaccine distribution plan to protect our military communities overseas against COVID-19.

Initial vaccinations will be limited to healthcare workers and first responders to assess the process and will be used to plan expanded distribution phases.

Each phase of the vaccine distribution process is designed to safely protect DoD personnel from COVID-19 as quickly as possible. As the distribution is carried out, information on the timeline of subsequent phases will be provided through command channels and through installation web and social media platforms.

Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration emergency use approval, the vaccine is voluntary but recommended by the military.

All DoD personnel will continue to wear appropriate masks, practice physical distancing, wash hands, follow restriction of movement and adhere to host nation restrictions for the safety of their communities, as a large portion of the population will need to be vaccinated before COVID-19 risks diminish.