Our priority is to protect our Service members, Department of Defense (DOD) civilians and families to safeguard national security capabilities and support the whole-of-government response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The DOD has an independent but collaborative program with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to provide COVID-19 vaccines to DOD uniformed service members. This includes active duty, Guard/Reserve, retirees, family members, civilian employees and selected DOD contract personnel.
All eligible and authorized TRICARE beneficiaries can make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, as available, at a DOD vaccination site.
The vaccine itself is offered at no cost, but there may be a cost based on your plan for an office visit or if you require follow-on care. Wherever you eventually receive your vaccination, please remember you'll need to check availability before showing up. To find out more, please visit www.tricare.mil/COVIDVaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines currently available to all U.S. citizens and residents are Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Pfizer-BioNTech-COMIRNATY®, and Moderna. These vaccines are safe and effective against COVID-19 and its variants.
The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people 5 years and older.
COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
Getting your children vaccinated can help protect them against COVID-19, as well as reduce disruptions to in-person learning and activities by helping curb community transmission. Vaccination also reduces risk of:
- Severe disease
- Hospitalizations
- Long-term COVID-19 complications
The CDC recommends that children ages 12 to 15 receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and children ages 5 to 11 receive a pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 vaccine is administered as a 2-dose series, 21-days apart. Each dose contains 10mg of the vaccine, which is one third the adult dose.
If you are unsure whether the vaccine it right for your children, we recommend you discuss your child’s medical conditions, including prior reaction to vaccines, with a medical provider.
Booster Dose
People age 18 years and older who received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may get a booster.