Flu vaccine no longer mandated for US troops
4 hours ago
- #vaccine policy
- #public health
- #military health
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. military will no longer mandate the flu vaccine for all troops, citing medical autonomy and religious freedom.
- Military services have 15 days to request keeping the flu vaccine requirement, but the default is to drop it, allowing service members to choose vaccination voluntarily.
- Vaccine mandates became contentious during the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 8,400 troops forced out for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine; Congress rescinded that mandate in January 2023.
- The Trump administration is dialing back vaccine recommendations, including no longer advising flu shots for all children, though a federal judge has temporarily blocked this effort.
- Historically, the U.S. military has required eight vaccines, including flu, polio, tetanus, measles, and hepatitis A and B, with provisions for religious exemptions and counseling.
- Military vaccination programs date to 1777 with George Washington's smallpox inoculation, but recent policy shifts emphasize individual choice over mandatory compliance.