- The Ministry of National Defense said on Monday that all active military personnel must be vaccinated by mid-September.
- If the FDA fully approves these vaccines before then, the deadline may be advanced.
- At least 70% of the 1.4 million military personnel have been shot.
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The U.S. military plans to require all its active military personnel to be vaccinated against Covid by mid-September and announced Ministry of Defense Monday.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin wrote in a memo that if the FDA approves the vaccine before the deadline, this authorization will be implemented sooner.Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top infectious disease expert in the United States, said that he hopes the FDA can fully approve Vaccine at the end of August. Pfizer is currently working with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to obtain emergency approvals and is expected to obtain approval first.
“In order to defend this country, we need a healthy and prepared force,” Secretary of State Austin wrote. “I strongly encourage all military and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense-as well as contractor personnel-to get vaccinated now so that military personnel do not wait for authorization.”
He added that officials will monitor the increase in infection rates caused by the Delta variants and the threats they pose to the U.S. military’s combat readiness.
He wrote in the announcement: “If I feel necessary, I will not hesitate to take action as soon as possible or recommend a different route to the president.”
At least 70% of the soldiers were shot, Secretary of State Austin told reporters last month. But the vaccination rate The power of 1.4 million has been lagging behind.
Department of Defense officials originally planned to provide vaccines to military personnel by the end of August, but after White House officials expressed concern about the introduction of authorizations before the vaccines were fully approved by the FDA, they decided to postpone the deadline. According to the “New York Times” report.
US President Joe Biden supported the Pentagon’s mandate in a White House statement issued on Monday.
“I strongly support Secretary of State Austin’s [military] Today, the Ministry of Defense plans to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required by our service personnel no later than mid-September,” he said.
In July, Biden ordered all federal employees Fully vaccinated or regularly tested for Covid.
