health
Pentagon reinstates mandatory flu shots after outbreak at Air Force base
The Pentagon reinstated its flu vaccine requirement for all military recruits on Wednesday after a flu outbreak sickened nearly 300 people at an Air Force base boot camp in Texas, reversing a policy put in place by War Secretary Pete Hegseth just two months ago.
TL;DR
- The Pentagon has reinstated the mandatory flu vaccine requirement for all military recruits.
- This reversal comes after a flu outbreak sickened nearly 300 people at an Air Force boot camp at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
- The previous policy, made by War Secretary Pete Hegseth in April, had made flu vaccination optional for service members.
- Only about 40% of incoming recruits received flu shots after the vaccine became optional.
- The Air Force is now vaccinating affected recruits and requiring vaccines for new arrivals.
- The Army plans to expand mandatory flu vaccinations to other high-risk groups.
- An Air Force trainee, Keon McDaniel, died at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland after suffering a medical emergency, with the cause of death under investigation.