Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a message on Wednesday that military members will start getting the COVID vaccines right away. He also determined that service leaders must set aggressive timeframes for execution.
As per Pentagon statistics, more than 800,000 service personnel have yet to receive their vaccinations. Yet, now that the Pfizer immunization has obtained full regulatory approval, the Pentagon is adding it to the list of mandatory vaccines that soldiers must take as part of their service in the military.
The Vaccinations Will be Distributed Rapidly
The Associated Press got a copy of the document, which does not specify a deadline for administering the immunizations. However, it states that the military forces will be required to report on their performance on a regular basis.
Austin has made it very clear to the military that he wants them to move rapidly and that this will be accomplished in weeks, not months, according to a senior military source.
The US Army is preparing to enforce mandatory coronavirus vaccinations for service members from the beginning of September, according to an Army Times report.https://t.co/QRFLuKa2ql
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) July 5, 2021
We need a robust and prepared force to keep us safe, Austin wrote in the letter. He also judged that mass vaccination toward coronavirus illnesses is vital to protect the Army and protect the American public. This judgement comes after extensive consultation with health personnel, high command, and with the president’s backing.
Pfizer injections will be available to soldiers at their stations and from their commands all throughout the world. According to the Defense Department, there is enough vaccination capacity to meet demands. Individual military personnel may also obtain any of the remaining COVID immunizations on their own.
The vaccine requirement, on the other hand, may pose a barrier for National Guard personnel that are dispersed across the country and only meet once a month for compulsory drills.
Federal LAW prohibits employers and others, including the Military from requiring vaccinations with a vaccine distributed under an EUA – 21 U.S. Code § 360bbb–3.
Text of the law is HERE : https://t.co/vHvSh2NhO4 pic.twitter.com/JIwJ3NG9zW
— AB (@aibsherpa) May 5, 2021
Much of the Military is Already Vaccinated
As per the Defense Department, there are about 800,000 troops in the Guard and Reserve, with over 1.3 million on active service. More than one million active-duty, Guard, and Reserve military personnel had been fully vaccinated as of Aug. 18, with roughly 245,000 more receiving at least one injection.
High-ranking military commanders have used a variety of public appeals, as well as social networks and other initiatives, to pressure their troops to get vaccines. However, many servicemembers have been hesitant, as is true of the general public in the United States.
I couldn't find a list for the Marines but here's the list of required inoculations for the US Army.https://t.co/Ymg6S97KoD https://t.co/dGr5qY912C
— Jeffrey Stringer #FBPE (@Blooms_Ghost) August 24, 2021
Military officials say immunization is vital for troops since they work and live together, and epidemics might jeopardize the Army’s capacity to defend the country.
Military authorities have stated they don’t have exact figures as to Guard personnel who haven’t been immunized; that’s because the Government only offers a total amount of soldiers including active duty, Guard, and Reserve soldiers.
Guard authorities have claimed all along that determining how many of its citizen soldiers have received the vaccine is extremely difficult. Only now (once Guard personnel report to their training weekends this autumn) will they be able to start monitoring the numbers more precisely.
