US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the cancellation of mandatory flu vaccination for military personnel. Reuters reports this, writes UNN.
Details
According to him, the Pentagon will no longer require military personnel to be vaccinated against the flu.
We are taking this moment to roll back any absurd, excessive mandates that only weaken our combat capabilities.
He added that the universal vaccination requirement "is too broad and irrational."
What's changing
According to the new policy, military personnel will be able to get vaccinated voluntarily, but without obligation.
We will not force you
This decision is part of the broader course of US President Donald Trump's administration to review federal vaccination guidelines.
Earlier, in 2023, the military already canceled mandatory COVID-19 vaccination, which was introduced in 2021. At that time, thousands of servicemen were dismissed for refusing vaccination.
Currently, there are about 1.3 million active duty military personnel in the US and another 750,000 in the reserves and National Guard.
At the same time, the World Health Organization continues to recommend flu vaccination, especially for children aged six months and older.
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