The Pentagon has stepped again from its coverage that requires all troops to get the flu shot yearly by introducing exemptions for reservists and proclaiming that the shot is barely crucial in some circumstances for all service members, in accordance to a doc obtained by The Associated Press.
The memo, written by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg on May 29 and despatched to all the army providers, says reserve troops now will want to be on energetic obligation for 30 days or extra earlier than being required to get an annual flu shot. It additionally says the army will now not be paying for reservists or National Guard members to get the vaccine on their very own time.
News of the coverage change, which has not been publicly introduced by the Pentagon, comes as the Trump administration and its advisers have suggested changes to other vaccination guidance. An influential immunization panel that the administration up to date to embody anti-vaccine figures determined to not recommend the COVID-19 shot to anybody, whereas President Donald Trump used his platform to promote unproven and, in some cases, discredited ties between the ache reliever Tylenol, vaccines and autism.
At the Pentagon, the flu shot memo declared that “going forward, the Department will conserve its resources by requiring seasonal flu vaccination for Service members only when doing so most directly contributes to readiness.” However, the doc shouldn’t be clear about the modifications as a result of it later says the annual requirement for active-duty troops continues to be in impact.
While the memo was quietly despatched months in the past, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth drew consideration to it Wednesday when he reposted a remark from an nameless account that claimed they “won’t be forced to get a flu shot this fall for the privilege of serving my state and country in the National Guard.”
Officials in Hegseth’s workplace didn’t reply questions on the conflicting nature of the memo or touch upon the submit he amplified.
The Trump administration additionally has provided again pay to former service members who refused the COVID-19 vaccine and have been kicked out of the military beneath the Biden administration. Those who declined the vaccination have been in a position to return to service since 2023, however solely 113 of the greater than 8,000 discharged service members had chosen to accomplish that.
The again pay supply was meant to encourage extra to reenlist however met with restricted success. Two months later, Pentagon officers mentioned solely 13 individuals — all Army troopers — had rejoined the army.