San Diego-area members of the military who have been reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine may no longer have a choice, following U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s announcement Monday that he is seeking approval from President Joe Biden to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all service members by Sept. 15.
Austin said Biden had consulted him about adding the vaccine to the list of those already required for servicemen and women, and following discussion with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretaries of the Military Departments, the Service Chiefs and medical professionals, decided to move forward with the vaccine requirement.
“Based on these consultations and on additional discussions with leaders of the White House COVID Task Force, I want you to know that I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid- September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Agency licensure, whichever comes first,” he said in a statement. “By way of expectation, public reporting suggests the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could achieve full FDA licensure early next month.”
San Diego County has nearly 72% of all eligible residents vaccinated — more than two million. That number does include members of the military, but excludes some vaccinations giving by tribal authorities or federal detention centers. According to the Department of Defense, there are more than 110,000 active-duty military personnel in San Diego County.
Austin said the Department of Defense will spend the next few weeks preparing for the transition, while also complying with Biden’s direction regarding additional restrictions and requirements for unvaccinated federal personnel — servicemembers, civilians and contractors alike.
According to DOD officials, 73% of active-duty personnel have taken at least one dose of the vaccine.
“Secretary Austin and I share an unshakable commitment to making sure our troops have every tool they need to do their jobs as safely as possible,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House. “These vaccines will save lives. Period. They are safe. They are effective. Over 350 million shots have been given in the United States alone. Being vaccinated will enable our service members to stay healthy, to better protect their families, and to ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world.
“We cannot let up in the fight against COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant spreading rapidly through unvaccinated populations,” Biden said. “We are still on a wartime footing, and every American who is eligible should take immediate steps to get vaccinated right away. I am proud that our military women and men will continue to help lead the charge in the fight against this pandemic, as they so often do, by setting the example of keeping their fellow Americans safe.”
Austin said the military will be keeping an eye on COVID-19 infection rates and the impact those may have on readiness.
“I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the president if l feel the need to do so,” he said. “To defend this nation, we need a healthy and ready force. I strongly encourage all DoD military and civilian personnel — as well as contractor personnel — to get vaccinated now and for military service members to not wait for the mandate.”
Updated at 12:45 p.m. Aug. 9, 2021
–City News Service
