SALISBURY — The Salisbury VA Health Care System on Friday announced all veterans 65 and older and those younger than 65 with high-risk conditions can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment

In a news release, Chief of Staff Randall Gehle said the criteria now include more than 34,000 veterans in the Salisbury VA’s area of responsibility. Until Friday, the Salisbury VA was just vaccinating frontline workers and those 75 and older. To this point, the Salisbury VA used large rooms such as basketball gyms to set up clinics. It also scheduled a mass vaccination event Saturday, with a goal of administering a vaccine 1,000 veterans over two days.

“Salisbury VA Health Care System is on a mission to give every vaccine we receive to veterans as soon as possible,” Gehle said in a news release.

Eligible veterans 65 and older or those who have high-risk conditions may call (800) 706-9126 to schedule a vaccine appointment.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-defined high-risk conditions are: cancer; chronic kidney disease; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies; weakened immune system from solid organ transplant; obesity; sickle cell disease; smoking; and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Salisbury VA is scheduling appointments in Salisbury at its main campus as well as its clinics in Kernersville and Charlotte.