Pentagon Fails Flu Shot Mandate In Weeks
Following a significant flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base, the Pentagon has reinstated mandatory flu shots for all new recruits. This reversal comes less than two months after flu vaccinations were made optional, a decision that allowed approximately 75% of new trainees at Lackland to forgo the vaccine. The outbreak, which has sickened nearly 300 individuals, highlights the risks associated with unmitigated communicable disease spread in close-quarters training environments. This development underscores the historical precedent for mandatory vaccinations within the U.S. military, dating back to George Washington’s smallpox inoculations.
John Q. Hosedrinker