Warning that it is still “very early data”, Major General Jeff Taliaferro, deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday: “The vaccine is the thing right to do, is clearly safe for service members. “
The percentage of those who have decided not to receive the vaccine reflects the acceptance rate in the United States, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday. The one-third estimate is the first time the department has publicly said how many military personnel have refused to be vaccinated.
The Department of Defense administered 916,575 doses of vaccine, said Kirby, making up almost 90% of its doses. The department is expected to surpass the milestone of 1 million doses administered by the end of the week, he added.
The military cannot make vaccination mandatory for troops because they have received only emergency use and not full authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, Brig said. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, surgeon of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“There is a real limit legally that we have to make mandatory for our troops and our families,” Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon. “That’s why you volunteer now.”
The Department of Defense does not have vaccine option numbers for each service or vaccine refusal data divided by demographic data, said Kirby. “We do not have a system in place at each of the services to specifically track data with respect to those who, for whatever reason, are refusing or postponing the vaccine.”
Friedrichs told the House Armed Service Committee that the military collects relevant data on those receiving a vaccine. “We are collecting this data on acceptance rates,” said Friedrichs, who includes data on race and ethnicity. “Our experience reflects the preliminary data that we are seeing in other communities. In fact, we are investigating this and continuing to collect more data as we administer more vaccines.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin received both doses of the vaccine. Kirby said that the option of not getting vaccinated is a “concern” of the secretary, but he understands that it is a personal decision.
“It is certainly a concern of the secretary, but he is also aware that it is a voluntary program,” said Kirby during a news conference last week. “Although he got the vaccine because he believed it was the right thing to do for him and his health and his family and his ability to get the job done, he recognizes that this is a personal decision that everyone must make.”
The Department of Defense is encouraging members who are concerned about vaccination to read the information available on the websites of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense and consult their doctors if they have any questions, said Kirby.
“We need to continue to educate our strength and help them understand the benefits and ensure that there is involvement of the leadership in discussing the benefits of the vaccine,” said Taliaferro during the Chamber’s Armed Services hearing.