100,000th COVID-19 vaccine administered in Navy's U.S. 3rd Fleet

01 April 2021

From U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs

Third Fleet is coordinating vaccination allocation and administration for all naval personnel on the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and Hawaii.

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Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Maria Conejo, from Rosharon, Texas, administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Itzel Dominguezrocha, from Houston, in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Maria Conejo administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Itzel Dominguezrocha aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), April 1. (U.S. Navy/MC3 Stephanie Contreras)

SAN DIEGO - The Navy's U.S. Third Fleet coordinated the administration of its 100,000th voluntary first-dose of the COVID-19 vaccination aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), April 1.

Third Fleet is coordinating vaccination allocation and administration for all naval personnel on the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and Hawaii.

"Vaccination is about protecting our force and their families while maintaining mission assurance," said Vice Adm. Scott D. Conn, Third Fleet commander.

Vaccine distribution is being conducted in phases, and vaccinations occur regularly aboard ships, military medical treatment facilities and clinics. Vaccine distribution is conducted in phases - vaccines were initially sent to medical treatment facilities and dedicated vaccination sites. As more vaccines became available, vaccines have been offered aboard aircraft carriers, including Abraham Lincoln and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), as well as guided-missile cruisers and destroyers assigned to carrier strike groups.

Earlier this year, greater than 90 percent of personnel in the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, an operational unit within Third Fleet, voluntarily received their COVID-19 vaccines.

"I am proud of the Sailors of Lincoln Nation for choosing to receive the vaccine," said Cmdr. William Nguyen, Abraham Lincoln's Senior Medical Officer. "The vaccine is not only beneficial to the person who receives the injection, but also for our crew, their loved ones and society at large."

Regardless of vaccination status, Third Fleet naval units are practicing aggressive COVID mitigation methods such as wearing facemasks, frequent hand washing, and social distancing as much as possible.

Third Fleet is responsible for the coordination of vaccination allocation and administration for all naval personnel within Navy Region Northwest, Southwest, and Hawaii. These regions include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.