A flu outbreak has hit Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, with over 200 troops falling ill. The outbreak comes less than two months after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ended the requirement for U.S. troops to receive an annual flu vaccine.
Response to the Outbreak
The Air Force has requested an exemption to Hegseth’s policy, allowing them to mandate flu vaccines at the base. The base has since started vaccinating people, and medical personnel are monitoring trainees who were in close contact with sick members.
According to a Pentagon spokesman, Hegseth granted exemptions to his vaccine policy for all military departments to keep up with critical operational realities. The Department remains committed to the health and readiness of our warfighters and civilian personnel.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
