United States to demand all military personnel to be vaccinated against COVID-19

The United States will require that All members of the US military are vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 15, according to a memorandum obtained by the agency PA. The term could be put forward in case the vaccine receives formal approval by the American health agency, or if contagion rates continue to rise.

“I will seek the President’s approval for the vaccines to be mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, whichever comes first.“said the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in the memorandum to the troops, asking them to prepare for the requirement. “I will not hesitate to act first or recommend another path to the President if I feel the need to.“, He added.

For his part, President Joe Biden said he “strongly” supported Lloyd Austin’s decision to vaccinate all military personnel.

“Secretary Austin and I share an unwavering commitment to ensuring that our troops have all the tools they need to do their jobs in the safest way possible.and. These vaccines will save lives. Indicate. They are safe. They are effective. In the United States alone, over 350 million doses have been administered. Being vaccinated will allow our military to stay in good health, better protect their families and ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world, ”said the Democratic President, in a statement released by the White House.

Biden reiterated that you cannot give up in the fight against COVID-19, especially now that the Delta variant is spreading rapidly among the population that is not vaccinated.

“We are still on the warpath and all eligible Americans should get immunized immediately. I am proud that our military men and women continue to help lead the charge in the fight against this pandemic, as they often do, by giving the example of the security of their American compatriots ”, added the American president.

A little over a week ago, Biden asked the military to prepare a plan that demand that troops receive the vaccine as part of the campaign to generalize inoculation in the federal workforce. This reflects similar decisions made by governments and companies around the world, as nations grapple with the delta variant which is more contagious and has led to new cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the United States at levels not seen since the peaks of last winter.

Austin says in his memo that the military will have the next few weeks to prepare, determine how many vaccines they need and how this mandate will be implemented. It also gives the FDA time give final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, which is expected at the start of next month.

Troops often live and work closely together in barracks and ships, increasing the risk of rapid spread. And any major coronavirus outbreak within the military could affect the ability of the United States to defend itself in any national security crisis.

Austin’s memo also says that in the meantime, the Pentagon will comply with Biden’s order to impose additional restrictions on any federal personnel who have not been vaccinated. These restrictions will include the use of masks, the social distancing Yes limit travel.

According to the Pentagon, more than 1 million soldiers are fully immunized and 237,000 others have received an injection.

(With AP information)

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