HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- As we enter cold and flu season, 66th Medical Squadron officials are encouraging all base personnel to get their COVID-19 vaccination booster as soon as possible.
The virus continues to pose a risk to the health and welfare of service members, civilian employees and families.
Hanscom Airmen who receive the COVID-19 Bivalent Booster released in September are authorized a one-day special pass from their commander as long as the booster is administered by Dec. 1.
Department of the Air Force civilian employees who receive the current booster during the duty day, through either Defense Department or private providers, are authorized up to four hours administrative leave. Additionally, civilian employees may be granted up to two days of administrative leave to recover from any adverse reaction to the vaccination.
For service members, timing of the one-day pass will be consistent with mission needs, members must present documentation and commanders may award the special pass retroactively to those members who have already received a booster. The Office of Personnel Management authorizes federal civilian employees up to four hours of administrative leave to receive a vaccine booster shot, which is designed to cover “the time it takes to travel to the vaccination site, receive the vaccination dose, and return to work.”
If federal employees take less than four hours to receive their booster shot, they should be granted only that amount of time in administrative leave, and employees cannot receive leave or overtime if they get their booster shot outside of their normal working hours.
Federal employees are also authorized up to four hours of administrative leave to accompany their family members who are receiving any dose of a COVID-19 vaccination.
Federal employees should obtain advance approval from their supervisor before being permitted to use administrative leave for COVID-19 vaccination purposes.
COVID-19 vaccinations include the initial one or two shot series as well as any subsequent booster shots.
66 MDS officials will continue administering the Moderna vaccine every Monday and the Pfizer vaccine every Wednesday and Friday.
Appointments for the Immunization Clinic are required and can be made at https://informatics-stage.health.mil/COVAX/. The clinic continues to offer the initial COVID-19 vaccine series and boosters as well as the Novavax vaccine.
For additional information, personnel can contact Hanscom Public Health at usaf.hanscom.66-abg.list.publichealth@health.mil.
For the latest information on DAF COVID policies, statistics, news, and resources, visit the DAF COVID-19 website Air Force Medicine link.
(Editor’s Note: This article was localized for Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.)