Military branches restore flu shot requirement after virus swept through base
60 points
by tzs
1 hour ago
| 8 comments
| arstechnica.com
| HN
andsoitis
28 minutes ago
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It turns out eventually you have to deal with reality.
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bko
3 minutes ago
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What does this mean
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SecretDreams
7 minutes ago
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Sadly, all the time spent deferring reality ends up hurting a lot of bystanders. The debt they've run up is going to be painful, maybe moreso than the damages incurred from the anti-science and anti-transparency policies.
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vkou
3 minutes ago
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The debt would be less painful if the pricks that were responsible for this mess would be billed for the consequences of their poor king-making.

We can start with whomever showed up to that inauguration, and expand from there. If they could afford that bribe, they can certainly afford to pay for repairing the damage their golden boy has caused.

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wrs
51 minutes ago
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>"The decisions were based upon thorough risk assessments..."

Both decisions? Or just the walkback one?

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beart
23 minutes ago
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I have a close friend who is an officer nearing twenty years. He has not had a tendency to criticize his job. However, he has been adamant that vaccines are incredibly important for the military and the policy changes have really angered him, specifically because of the damage it does to readiness.
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sandworm101
3 minutes ago
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The covid refusal also became a scam. If you refused then you couldnt be deployed. But it tool months to kick people out. So people who didnt want to deploy would refuse and then agree to get the shot at the last minute. So it kept them home for up to six months while thier buddies went overseas..
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actionfromafar
7 minutes ago
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Can't you just drink raw milk instead? - RFK Jr
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jimjimjim
34 minutes ago
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You've got to be able to deploy. Simple as that.
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hammock
57 minutes ago
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This administration might be the exception, but it is actually normal for the US military to be getting more vaccines than average, even when their effectiveness is suspect (some past flu vaccines) or side effects are moderate to severe (e.g. anthrax vaccines).

Readiness - a matter of national security - tends to trump most concerns that, in civilian populations, might warrant greater choice and debate.

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lokar
43 minutes ago
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It’s common sense for any congregate housing arrangement
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0cf8612b2e1e
44 minutes ago
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There is (was?) a mandatory list of vaccines all military had to receive upon enlisting.
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dqv
35 minutes ago
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> Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that the Pentagon had granted exceptions to Hegseth’s optional flu shot policy to the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency, and the Defense Health Agency.

So which ones are still exempt from the vaccines? Space Force, USMC, Coast Guard, who else?

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annzabelle
24 minutes ago
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There are a few obscure ones.

Uniformed Health Service (the reason the Surgeon General is a General), which I'm certain is vaccinated.

NOAA also has uniformed personnel.

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Arodex
58 minutes ago
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Absolutely none of this should have happened. None.

The 1918 "Spanish flu" was cultivated in the trenches and spread through military camps and demobilization.

Hesgeth should be removed from his position ASAP.

Edit:

>Around 60% of previously unvaccinated trainees at Lackland initially declined the flu shot during the vaccine requirement’s lapse, according to the defense official.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/24/politics/flu-shot-outbrea...

Forget about Hesgeth. The USA is completely effed up.

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greenavocado
53 minutes ago
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Back in 2010 the situation was already extremely grim. Yes, they did test for tuberculosis upon intake and took blood samples for many hepatitis variants and possible a few other things. However, they let severe respiratory viruses run through everyone like wildfire for weeks without the slightest effort to prevent disease. They purposely let people get extremely cold and wet and didn't give a damn if people got sick. This is NOT new.
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Hikikomori
58 minutes ago
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Aren't flu shots woke stuff?
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wrs
55 minutes ago
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They're also anti-"freedom". (Individual freedom being one of the paramount values of the military.) (edit: Sorry, thought the sarcasm would be obvious…)
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BLKNSLVR
25 minutes ago
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> Individual freedom being one of the paramount values of the military

I'm assuming sarcasm, my understanding is that the literal opposite is true.

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jqpabc123
36 minutes ago
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Yes, nothing says "freedom" quite like having virtually every aspect of your life dictated and strictly controlled by the military establishment.

But fortunately, "leadership" decided to allow recruits the freedom to be stupid and contagious and ultimately detrimental to the military mission and readiness.

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BLKNSLVR
25 minutes ago
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But no beards, they're as dangerous as vaccines!
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georgemcbay
32 minutes ago
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> Aren't flu shots woke stuff?

Sure are, but unfortunately it turns out that reality still has a strong liberal bias.

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robwwilliams
21 minutes ago
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Genius comment. Thanks for the belly laugh.
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ngai_aku
48 minutes ago
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“not rational” and freedom-restricting.

Lasted two months lol

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jqpabc123
23 minutes ago
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Stupid is as stupid does.
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