COVID-19 Team Update: Vaccination Appointments Available for Smithsonian Employees

Smithsonian Federal and Trust Employees in the National Capitol Region,

The Smithsonian is pleased to announce that beginning next week, Smithsonian employees (Federal or Trust) will be eligible to be vaccinated at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), recently selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a multi-agency government vaccination site.

Only Smithsonian employees (Federal or Trust) with duty stations in the National Capital Region are eligible to be vaccinated at the NMNH vaccination site. While we are thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity, it does not cover everyone who works in our facilities. Smithsonian continues to look for ways to provide vaccinations for our affiliated persons (contractors, academic appointees, volunteers, and interns), as well as staff outside of the National Capital Region.

Please familiarize yourself with the below information. If you are a staff member (Federal or Trust) with a duty station within the DC metro area, you will be receiving an email from the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) to your si.edu email address in the coming days. This email will provide additional information for you to schedule a vaccination appointment. You will not receive an appointment scheduling email from the Smithsonian; it will come directly from VAMS. Please do not forward your VAMS email to others. OCIO is taking steps to ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, but please also check your junk email folder.

Other information to be aware of:

• You must follow the links provided by VAMS to make a vaccination appointment.
• Check your calendar. Please only schedule an appointment if you know you will be able to attend. You will be automatically provided the date and time for your second dose. You must commit to coming to NMNH for both your first and second shot.
• It is imperative that no doses of vaccine are wasted, so please arrive on time for the appointment you have scheduled.
• If you have received confirmation for an appointment at SCBI (a smaller, limited vaccination site for essential and on-site employees), please attend that and do not schedule one for NMNH.
• If you have already started the vaccination process (received your first vaccine or been fully vaccinated) elsewhere, please disregard the VAMS email.
• Walk ups will NOT be permitted.
• Parking at NMNH will NOT be available; please seek alternative transportation options or parking at public locations.
• Appointments for first doses will be available starting April 15^th for approximately two weeks. Second dose appointments will be available following the prescribed waiting period.
• Appointments will be available during regular business hours, Mondays through Fridays.
• Employees are eligible for up to three hours of Administrative Leave to receive each dose of the vaccine; please follow your units leave request procedure.

Thank you for your patience over these past months and your interest in the COVID-19 vaccine. A special thanks all the Smithsonian staff, especially Occupational Health Services and NMNH, that made this opportunity possible. Should you have questions, please speak with your supervisors. More communications will be sent on this topic in the coming days and weeks.

Stay safe and be well,
COVID-19 Response Team

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