COVID-19 vaccines available now at Vanderbilt Health

Experts at Vanderbilt Health are recommending individuals get the COVID-19 vaccine, which is now available across the health system and in other convenient locations. Getting vaccinated is an easy step to protect against the COVID-19 virus, which has been spreading recently in our area and may be more common in the colder weather when people gather during the winter holidays.

Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all eligible recipients. The Food and Drug Administration has approved it for individuals 65 years of age and above and those 6 months through 64 years of age with at least one underlying condition which places them at higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. No prescription will be required for these individuals.

Patients who do not meet the FDA’s eligibility requirements need a prescription or order to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a Vanderbilt Health location.

COVID-19 remains a concern           

According to the most recent reporting, 1,169 COVID-19 deaths occurred in the U.S. in the past month. And according to more recent data from the Tennessee Department of Health, approximately 500 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past month.

At Vanderbilt University Hospital and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, in the 20 months from Jan. 1, 2024, through Sept. 17, 2025, 863 adults and 313 children had a positive COVID-19 test during or associated with a hospital stay, and deaths among these patients while in these hospitals included 51 adults and four children.

Unlike flu, COVID-19 doesn’t follow a predictable seasonal pattern. “This one just pops up whenever it wants to,” said Patty Wright, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Adult Ambulatory Clinics, noting that cases often spike during winter holidays when people gather.

“VUMC employee insurance will pay for our employees and their dependents to get their COVID vaccines,” Wright said. “First, we don’t want our employees to get sick from COVID. Second, we don’t want our employees spreading COVID inadvertently to their patients.”

While some people may consider COVID-19 a thing of the past, Wright stressed that the virus continues to circulate and cause serious illness.

“COVID is still around,” she said. “We should be thinking very much like we do with flu — getting an updated vaccine every year gives us better protection against the strains that are circulating.”

Wright recommends that people seek updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech recently approved by the FDA.

Where can employees get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Employees have several options to get the vaccine:

• Visit a retail pharmacy.
• Make an appointment with your primary care provider.
• Occupational Health, Vanderbilt Health Walk-in Clinics and Vanderbilt Health at Walgreens. will have the vaccine soon, but it is not available yet

Employees and their dependents covered under the organization’s health plan can receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost, regardless of location. Employees not on the health plan can get the vaccine for free through Occupational Health, or these employees can check with their insurer to better understand the cost associated with getting the vaccine at other locations.

COVID-19 vaccines for patients

Clinics across Vanderbilt Health will also have the vaccine available for patients. This includes primary care, walk-ins, Walgreens, and some specialty clinics. Clinics can follow normal ordering processes to have the vaccine in stock.

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs for Vanderbilt Health Employees

• Will the COVID-19 vaccine be available to employees this year?
  • Yes, Vanderbilt Health will offer the Moderna Spikevax vaccine for the 2025-2026 season. Other FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines on the market include Moderna’s mNEXSPIKE, Novavax’s Nuvaxovid, and Pfizer-BioNTech’s COMIRNATY.
• Where can employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine?
  • The vaccine will be available at many Vanderbilt Health locations, including primary care and some specialty clinics. The Occupational Health Clinic, Vanderbilt Health Walk-in clinics and Walgreens will have it available soon.
  • The vaccine will also be available at many retail pharmacies.
• Is the COVID-19 vaccine recommended and for whom? Am I eligible to get it?
  • Yes, the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all eligible recipients.
• • The FDA has approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those 65 years of age and above and those 6 months through 64 years of age with at least one underlying condition which places them at higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. These conditions include, but are not limited to, sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, smoking (current or former), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, liver or kidney disease, dementia, people with certain disabilities, and people with weakened immune systems.
• • The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that patients receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine or “booster” at any point during pregnancy, when planning to become pregnant, in the postpartum period, or when lactating.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants and children 6 months through 18 years with high-risk conditions who do not have contraindications receive the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine, and children 2 through 18 years of age not included in high-risk groups whose parent or guardian desires their protection from COVID-19 should be offered vaccination.
• Am I able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if I do not meet FDA criteria? Can my child get it if they do not meet the eligibility criteria?
  • If you do not meet FDA’s eligibility requirements, you will need a prescription to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from a Vanderbilt Health or retail pharmacy location, or an order from your health care provider to receive the vaccine in a VUMC clinic.
  • Children who do not meet the eligibility criteria can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at a Vanderbilt Health primary (or some specialty) care pediatric clinic with parental consent.
• Will I have to pay any out-of-pocket cost for the COVID-19 vaccine this year?
  • Employees and their dependents covered under the Vanderbilt Health health plan will not have any out-of-pocket costs for the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of where it is received.
• • Employees not on the employee health plan can receive the vaccine at no cost when the vaccine becomes available soon at Occupational Health Clinic locations
  • Employees not on the Vanderbilt Health health plan should check with their insurer about cost-sharing for family members or for a vaccine received outside of Occupational Health.
• When is the best time frame to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?
  • Unlike the flu, COVID-19 does not seem to follow a seasonal pattern. Health experts recommend getting an updated booster vaccine dose as new variants emerge or if it has been more than a year since your last dose.

Will we offer COVID-19 vaccines to our patients?

• Yes, Vanderbilt Health patients can get a COVID-19 vaccine, though some locations may not have it available yet. Clinics may start ordering vaccines through normal processes.

What is new about the COVID-19 vaccine process for patients this year?

• The vaccine will be provided as part of shared clinical decision-making between the patient and a clinician (which may include a pharmacist, advanced practice provider or physician). The vaccine will require a patient-specific order to be administered at a Vanderbilt Health clinic and will not be administered via a standing order.
• Other aspects of the process, including providing patients with the Vaccine Information Sheet, will be unchanged from previous years.  

Please direct any additional questions to your local leadership.