U.S. Air Force Dismisses 27 Over Covid Vaccine Refusals

• Published Dec. 13, 2021Updated Dec. 14, 2021, 12:42 p.m. ET

The U.S. Air Force has dismissed 27 work members for refusing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, the archetypal members of the subject believed to beryllium forced retired implicit the shots.

Since August erstwhile the Pentagon began requiring each troops to get the coronavirus vaccine oregon look dismissal, astir 96 percent of progressive work members person had astatine slightest 1 shot; astir 74 percent of the 2.1 cardinal radical that marque up the full unit are present afloat vaccinated.

Each work subdivision has a antithetic deadline for shots, and the Air Force, with much than 325,000 progressive work members, was the archetypal to deed the deadline past month. While immoderate subject members person chosen to permission alternatively than beryllium vaccinated, the 27 — each with little than six years of work — are the archetypal believed to person been fired, Pentagon officials said.

The Defense Department has granted precise fewer exemptions from the mandate, different than to radical who were already leaving the subject oregon those who person aesculapian issues. So far, not a azygous work subordinate has been granted a spiritual exemption.

The U.S. subject routinely requires members to instrumentality vaccines to service and considers being inoculated against the coronavirus indispensable for basal readiness.

Last month, the newly appointed caput of the National Guard successful Oklahoma said that his troops would not beryllium required to get vaccinated. Lloyd J. Austin III, the caput of defense, has told Gov. Kevin Stitt that the troops indispensable comply with the request for each work branches. This week, the Pentagon released a caller bid saying that National Guard members who bash not get vaccinated would person a wide bid of reprimand; fundamentally ending their career.

The Pentagon is pondering requiring a booster changeable for troops arsenic well.