It looks like the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all DOD service members may soon be coming to an end if this legislation passes and is signed by the President:
Master Sgt. Cherie Gregory, 66th Medical Squadron functional manager, prepares a vaccine during a point of distribution at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., Nov. 9, 2022. (Linda LaBonte Britt/U.S. Air Force)
The final version of the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill is likely to rescind Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III’s August 2021 memo ordering COVID-19 vaccines for most troops, a source familiar with the matter said Monday.
Ending the requirement, under which service members who aren’t fully vaccinated are subject to discharge, has been a top priority of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and other senior Republicans in both chambers. McCarthy raised the issue with President Joe Biden in a meeting last week and reiterated over the weekend that the mandate should be repealed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
Here is the latest on Korea’s vaccination efforts:
Debate is arising over the government’s plan to allow COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 12 to 17 starting next month.
Some parents say the inoculations will ensure their children’s safety and allow them to be more active, while others say they are concerned about potential side effects
The health authorities said, Monday, they plan to start offering vaccinations for children in that age group in the fourth quarter and will announce details within this month after consulting with the education ministry.
They are considering providing the Pfizer vaccine as recommended by the Korea Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, adding the vaccine has been proven safe for use for the age group in various countries including Japan and the United States.
