An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | March 29, 2021

Entire Force May Be Vaccinated for COVID-19 by Early Summer

By xxxC. TODD DOD NEWS

WASHINGTON -- Defense Department officials have said the department will be ready to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible beneficiaries by May 1, in keeping with a White House announcement that on that date, all Americans will be able to get vaccinated if they want to.

"We are committed to contributing to the president achieving his goal of 200 million shots in 100 days," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim during a briefing today at the Pentagon.

Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, director of the Defense Health Agency said that depending on the rate at which the DOD can get vaccines, and the uptake rate — that's the number of personnel who step forward to get vaccinated — it's possible that by early summer, every person in the DOD could be vaccinated.

"Based on the projections that we have, both supply side and vaccination side, we do fully expect to be open to all ... of our DOD eligible populations on or before the first of May," Place said. "At current uptake rates for those who want to get it, we think by the middle of July or so ... the department will be vaccinated."

Place said right now that the military health system is administering COVID vaccine at 343 sites around the world. Also, he said, there are almost 3,000 military personnel providing vaccination support to FEMA-led community vaccination sites around the country.

"A special thanks goes out to our superbly trained enlisted medical forces carrying out these responsibilities with compassion and with distinction," he said.

Within the department, Place said, more than 600,000 service members from all three components have gotten at least their first COVID-19 vaccine.

"I want to use this opportunity to thank every service member who has gotten vaccinated," said Adirim. "They are not only protecting themselves but they're also contributing to the safety of their teammates, their families and their communities."

Right now, there are three COVID-19 vaccines available. Those include vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, both of which have cold-storage requirements, and both of which require two injections. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine requires only a single shot, and has no cold-storage requirement.

All three vaccines are effective, Place said, but the single-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine has been beneficial for use in austere environments.

"Every single one of these vaccines are shown through rigorous clinical trials to be safe and effective," he said. "The ... unique advantages to this third vaccine is first it doesn't require that cold chain requirement and second only requires one dose, all of which make its efficacy ... the actual effectiveness at the operational force to be greater. So we think this is a better vaccine for the circumstances in those austere environments."

Adirim said she hopes that more service members will step forward to take whatever COVID-19 vaccine is eventually offered to them because doing so is the key to getting the nation back on track.

"Vaccination is one critical part of getting our country back to normal, along with continued testing and adherence to public health measures like masking and social distancing," Adirim said. "We just can't let up at this point. Our DOD personnel have done a phenomenal job. I'm very proud of all of them. We've administered more than 1.8 million shots within DOD and more than 5 million shots have gone into arms by military service members in support of the FEMA mission."
 

CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
X
362,631
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
The United States, Nepal Conclude Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise Shanti Prayas IV
Combined service members from 18 countries participate in the closing ceremony of Exercise Shanti Prayas IV at the Birendra Peace Operations Centre parade field on March 4, 2024. Shanti Prayas IV is a multinational peacekeeping exercise sponsored by the Nepali Army and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and is the latest in a series of exercises designed to support peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl John Hall)
March 4, 2024 - Nepal and the United States conducted the closing ceremony of exercise Shanti Prayas IV at Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre, Panchkhal, Nepal, Mar. 4, 2024...

U.S., ROK Marines Conduct Exercise Freedom Shield 24
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Todd Sturgill, the company commander for Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, speaks to Marines about building a combined command post in preparation for Freedom Shield 24 in Pohang, South Korea, Feb. 25, 2024. FS 24 is a defense-oriented exercise designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance, enhance the combined defense posture, and further strengthen security and stability on the Korean peninsula. Sturgill is a native of Virginia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Amanda R. Taylor)
March 4, 2024 - U.S. Marines from across III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Marines from 1st Marine Division, I MEF, deployed from Japan and the United States to join their ROK counterparts to exercise as the Combined Marine Component...

U.S. Coast Guard, Navy Helicopter Squadron execute critical medical evacuation of Filipino mariner northwest of Guam
In a display of interagency cooperation, a commercial mariner in urgent need of medical care was safely evacuated from a vessel 100 nautical miles offshore to Guam on March 2, 2024, thanks to the actions of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 (HSC-25). Responders initiated the operation after a 26-year-old Filipino mariner aboard the 850-foot Liberian-flagged container ship Carmell 1, initially located 400 nautical miles northwest of Guam, reportedly exhibited severe abdominal issues. (U.S. Navy photo)
March 4, 2024 - In a display of interagency cooperation, a commercial mariner in urgent need of medical care was safely evacuated from his vessel 100 nautical miles offshore to Guam on March 2, 2024, thanks to the actions of the U.S. Coast...

Statement from President Biden on Addressing National Security Risks to the U.S. Auto Industry
March 1, 2024 - American automakers and auto workers are the best in the world. The iconic Big Three and American auto workers are leading the world in quality and innovation. A dynamic auto industry is vital to the U.S. economy...

Lancer Brigade takes part in Exercise Cobra Gold 2024
March 1, 2024 - Hundreds of soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Lancer Brigade,” 7th Infantry Division, arrived in the Kingdom of Thailand to participate in the 43rd iteration of Exercise Cobra Gold 2024...