Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP

WASHINGTON – Military troops indispensable instantly statesman to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said successful a memo Wednesday, ordering work leaders to “impose ambitious timelines for implementation.”

More than 800,000 work members person yet to get their shots, according to Pentagon data. And present that the Pfizer vaccine has received afloat support from the Food and Drug Administration, the Defense Department is adding it to the database of required shots troops indispensable get arsenic portion of their subject service.

The memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press, does not dictate a circumstantial timeline for completing the vaccinations. But it says the subject services volition person to study regularly connected their progress. A elder defence authoritative said that Austin has made it wide to the services that helium expects them to determination quickly, and that this volition beryllium completed successful weeks not months.

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“To support this Nation, we request a steadfast and acceptable force,” Austin said successful the memo. “After cautious consultation with aesculapian experts and subject leadership, and with the enactment of the President, I person determined that mandatory vaccination against coronavirus disease...is indispensable to support the Force and support the American people.”

Troops volition beryllium capable to get their Pfizer shots astatine their bases and from their commands astir the world. The Pentagon has said it has capable vaccine proviso to conscionable demand. Individual work members whitethorn besides spell retired and get immoderate of the different COVID vaccines connected their own.

Fulfilling the vaccine mandate, however, whitethorn beryllium a situation for National Guard forces who are scattered astir the country, and stitchery conscionable erstwhile a period for their required drills.

According to the Pentagon, determination are much than 1.3 cardinal troops connected progressive work and adjacent to 800,000 successful the Guard and Reserve. And, arsenic of Aug. 18, much than 1 cardinal progressive duty, Guard and Reserve work members were afloat vaccinated and astir 245,000 much had received astatine slightest 1 shot.

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Senior subject leaders person consistently pressed their forces to get vaccines done a wide scope of nationalist pleas, and via societal media and different campaigns. But — arsenic is existent among the U.S. colonisation — galore work members person been reluctant.

Defense officials person said it's captious for troops to get the vaccine due to the fact that they unrecorded and enactment intimately unneurotic and outbreaks could hamper the U.S. military's quality to support America.

Military officials person said they don't person circumstantial numbers connected however galore Guard troops are not yet vaccinated, and the Pentagon lone provides a unit full that lumps progressive duty, Guard and Reserve into 1 statistic.

Guard officials person said each on that it is precise hard to measure however galore of their national soldiers person gotten a vaccine. And lone present volition they beryllium capable to statesman really tracking the fig with much precision arsenic Guard members study to their drill weekends this fall.

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Austin’s determination to mandate the vaccine fulfills a vow helium made earlier this period to necessitate it nary aboriginal than mid-September, oregon instantly upon FDA licensure, whichever came first. His determination reflects akin actions by governments and companies astir the world, arsenic nations conflict with the highly contagious delta variant that has sent U.S. cases surging to heights not seen since past fall.

Hospitalizations and deaths are expanding among the military. Over the past month, the fig of work subordinate deaths jumped from 25 to 34 – by much than a third.

“Our vaccination of the Force volition prevention lives,” said the Austin memo. “Thank you for your absorption connected this captious mission.”

Members of the U.S. subject are already required to get arsenic galore arsenic 17 antithetic vaccines, depending connected wherever they are deployed. The requirements — which see shots for smallpox, hepatitis, polio and the flu — besides supply for a fig of impermanent and imperishable exemptions for either aesculapian oregon administrative reasons.

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Austin successful the memo noted that the caller request volition let for exemptions that are accordant with the existent policies for each the different vaccines. Permanent exemptions see superior aesculapian reactions to the vaccine, immune deficiencies specified arsenic HIV infection, and “evidence of existing immunity” by a serologic antibody trial oregon “documentation of erstwhile corruption oregon earthy corruption presumed.”

There besides are administrative exemptions, including 1 for spiritual reasons. The spiritual exemption is granted by the subject services based connected their policies, and it appears to beryllium comparatively rare. The determination is made by commanders based connected consultation with aesculapian unit and chaplains.

The Navy and the Marine Corps said they person had zero spiritual exemption requests for different vaccines successful caller years and the Air Force said determination were few. The Army was not capable to supply immoderate data.

A small implicit fractional of the U.S. colonisation is afloat vaccinated with 1 of the country’s 3 options, from Pfizer, Moderna oregon Johnson & Johnson.

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The Pentagon determination lone applies to the Pfizer vaccine. Moderna has besides applied to the FDA for afloat support of its vaccine. J&J said it hopes to bash truthful aboriginal this year.

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