Top 5 stories in VA - Oct. 15, 2021

Credit: Reynaldo Leal | Date Taken: 10/15/2021
IT’S OCTOBER FIFTEENTH, TWENTY TWENTY-ONE AND HERE’S THE TOP FIVE STORIES IN VEE-A THIS WEEK.   FLU SEASON IS HERE. WITH COVID-19 CIRCULATING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, GETTING A FLU SHOT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. IN ADDITION TO YOUR LOCAL VA MEDICAL FACILITY, FLU VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO ELIGIBLE VETERANS AT MORE THAN 70,000 IN-NETWORK COMMUNITY CARE PROVIDERS NATIONWIDE. ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, YOU CAN EVEN GET YOUR FLU VACCINE AND COVID-19 VACCINE DURING THE SAME VISIT. HERE ARE THE FOUR STEPS TO GETTING YOUR COMMUNITY FLU VACCINE:   ONE, CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY TWO, FIND A PARTICIPATING PROVIDER THREE, GO TO THE PROVIDER AND FOUR, GET THE VACCINE   WITH WILDFIRES IN THE WEST, STORMS LIKE HURRICANE IDA IN THE GULF COAST AND NORTHEAST, AND HUMANITARIAN CRISES LIKE THE AFGHAN REFUGEE SITUATION, THERE ARE PLENTY OF WORTHWHILE CAUSES TO DONATE TO – AND NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO GIVE BACK QUITE LIKE VETERANS. UNFORTUNATELY, SCAMMERS OFTEN TARGET THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS BY TRYING TO TRICK THEM INTO DONATION SCAMS AND FAKE CAUSES. VETERANS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON GUARD FOR THESE AND OTHER TYPES OF SCAMS. VISIT THE OPERATION PROTECT VETERANS WEBSITE FOR IN-DEPTH SCAM INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND MORE TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE SCAMMERS.  VA PARTNERED WITH STARS AND STRIPES TO CREATE A SPECIAL EDITION INSERT FOR THE PUBLICATION CALLED "THE VETERANS BENEFITS GUIDE." THE PRINT AND DIGITAL PUBLICATION, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS VA BENEFITS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, IS AVAILABLE NOW. VISIT THE VA BLOG FOR A LINK.   OCTOBER IS NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY MONTH. THE NATIONAL VETERAN POPULATION IS AGING, CALLING FOR INNOVATIVE HEALTH CARE PRACTICES AND SPECIALIZED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. PHYSICAL THERAPY IS A PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT PRACTICE IN CARING FOR VETERANS. IT SERVES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY, PREVENTS INJURY, INCREASES MOBILITY, REDUCES PAIN AND RESTORES INDEPENDENCE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR OUR AGING VETERAN POPULATION, 65 YEARS OLD AND OVER.   VA HAS OPENED NUMEROUS POSITIONS UNDER A DIRECT-HIRE AUTHORITY, WHICH ALLOWS AGENCIES TO MORE QUICKLY HIRE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS. IT EXPEDITES HIRING BY REFERRING ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES DIRECTLY TO THE HIRING MANAGER, WITHOUT CONSIDERATION FOR RANKING, RATING AND OTHER TYPICAL SELECTION PROCEDURES. VISIT THE VA CAREERS PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.   YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE STORIES AND READ MORE AT BLOGS DOT VEE-A DOT GOV.