FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2021
April 23, 2021
MIDWEST HONOR FLIGHT TRIPS TO WASHINGTON REMAIN ON HOLD
Vaccination will be required for 2021 Missions once travel resume
ARLINGTON, Va. (April 23, 2021) – The Honor Flight Network has released a statement that will be of interest to the Veterans and Guardians on our waitlist, as well as to our volunteers. While 2021 Honor Flights remain postponed nationwide until at least August 15, the Honor Flight Network has announced that, once it has been determined that it is safe to resume flights, proof of full vaccination will be required for Veterans and their Guardians who take an Honor Flight in 2021. Mandatory vaccination will be just one of the safety measures that will be implemented.
Veterans who choose not to be vaccinated (or who are not able to be vaccinated) will remain on our "fly list" until the Honor Flight Network removes this mandatory safety measure and will then be added to flights in the order that their applications were received (as usual). Guardians who travel with our Veterans, along with our volunteers, will also be required to present proof of vaccination before flight day and bring their vaccination proof along on flight day for any flights that take place in 2021. We do not yet know whether this requirement will extend into 2022. The Honor Flight Network stated that there will be no exceptions to this rule.
While we do not yet have information about when or how the proof of vaccination will need to be submitted or presented, we wanted the Veterans and Guardians on our fly list to know about this requirement with plenty of time to plan for compliance. "Fully vaccinated" is defined by the Honor Flight Network as having received the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least two weeks prior to the flight date or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine 28 days prior to the flight. There is no information yet about "boosters" or whether or not those might be required in the future.
“Our first priority on every Midwest Honor Flight Mission is the safety of our Veterans, Guardians, and Crew,” says Aaron Van Beek, the President of Midwest Honor Flight. “Should we have the chance to fly this fall, we will be implementing these precautions alongside the Honor Flight Network so we can continue to carry out our Mission without forcing Veterans to choose between their health and this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The Honor Flight Network’s Board of Directors and Midwest Honor Flight’s Board of Directors will continue to consult public health guidance before officially resuming trips and announcing final protocols. Veterans and families with questions about the COVID-19 vaccines are encouraged to watch a free, live webinar hosted by the Honor Flight Network on May 6 at 6:00 PM Central Time. The webinar will include a presentation by Dr. Jane Kim, Chief Consultant for Preventive Medicine at the VA’s National Center for Health Promotion and Prevention. A webinar link has been posted to www.honorflight.org for registration.
Aaron Van Beek, Midwest Honor Flight President
(605) 215-1319
info@midwesthonorflight.org
For additional information from the Honor Flight Network, please visit www.honorflight.org/in-the-news
Veterans who choose not to be vaccinated (or who are not able to be vaccinated) will remain on our "fly list" until the Honor Flight Network removes this mandatory safety measure and will then be added to flights in the order that their applications were received (as usual). Guardians who travel with our Veterans, along with our volunteers, will also be required to present proof of vaccination before flight day and bring their vaccination proof along on flight day for any flights that take place in 2021. We do not yet know whether this requirement will extend into 2022. The Honor Flight Network stated that there will be no exceptions to this rule.
While we do not yet have information about when or how the proof of vaccination will need to be submitted or presented, we wanted the Veterans and Guardians on our fly list to know about this requirement with plenty of time to plan for compliance. "Fully vaccinated" is defined by the Honor Flight Network as having received the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least two weeks prior to the flight date or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine 28 days prior to the flight. There is no information yet about "boosters" or whether or not those might be required in the future.
“Our first priority on every Midwest Honor Flight Mission is the safety of our Veterans, Guardians, and Crew,” says Aaron Van Beek, the President of Midwest Honor Flight. “Should we have the chance to fly this fall, we will be implementing these precautions alongside the Honor Flight Network so we can continue to carry out our Mission without forcing Veterans to choose between their health and this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The Honor Flight Network’s Board of Directors and Midwest Honor Flight’s Board of Directors will continue to consult public health guidance before officially resuming trips and announcing final protocols. Veterans and families with questions about the COVID-19 vaccines are encouraged to watch a free, live webinar hosted by the Honor Flight Network on May 6 at 6:00 PM Central Time. The webinar will include a presentation by Dr. Jane Kim, Chief Consultant for Preventive Medicine at the VA’s National Center for Health Promotion and Prevention. A webinar link has been posted to www.honorflight.org for registration.
Aaron Van Beek, Midwest Honor Flight President
(605) 215-1319
info@midwesthonorflight.org
For additional information from the Honor Flight Network, please visit www.honorflight.org/in-the-news
SOME POSSIBLE QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, ANSWERED
Q: The vaccine is now a requirement for Honor Flight?
A: No. Only for those wishing to travel in 2021 is it required. We know that the vaccine is not for everyone and for that reason, are not penalizing anyone for choosing not to receive it or travel in 2021. Our goal is to honor our Veterans safely while following all the Honor Flight Network mandates and policies. For us to fly in 2021, we have to ensure that our flights are vaccinated. In the future, this may be lifted as early as spring 2022.
Q: When and how will I need to prove that I have been vaccinated?
A: We anticipate needing a photocopy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to be submitted with your health information later this summer. We will also need to physically see it to match it to our records on the morning of your flight. This will be confirmed by the Honor Flight Network at a later date along with other mandatory safety measures we will need to be implementing. Those changes and requirements will be relayed to you as soon as we know them.
Q: I have been vaccinated but am not comfortable traveling, will I be penalized for this
A: Absolutely not. Your safety and that of our Guardians and Crew is our number one priority on every flight. If you are not comfortable traveling at this time, simply decline to fly in 2021 on the questionnaire and return it to us. This will indicate to us that you want to remain on our waiting list but do not want to travel this year.
Q: So, if I choose not to be vaccinated, I would not be able to fly in 2021?
A: That is correct. This year, all flights will need to be fully vaccinated per the National Honor Flight mandate. In 2022, this may be removed. You will not need to reapply and will be considered for future flights as soon as the mandate is lifted. Our hope is that things will go back to our normal flight procedures soon but if we have the opportunity to fly this fall and are able to honor some of our terminal Veterans and any of those that are on our waiting list, we don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to make up for the 23 months of no flights.
Q: What if I am vaccinated but my Guardian is not wanting to be?
A: Guardians (and our entire crew for that matter) are required to be vaccinated as well. If they are unable to or choose not to be vaccinated, you both can remain on our waiting list or you can substitute another Guardian to replace them. If you would rather, we will supply a Guardian as well that will have been trained and vaccinated as well.
Q: By not flying in 2021, do I lose my opportunity to go? Will I need to reapply?
A: Absolutely not. Your application will remain in our system and will be considered in the order it was received as soon as these mandates are lifted. If you do not fly in 2021, your application will still be honored – there is nothing more you need to do.
