Military Drops Flu Shot Mandate, Giving Troops More Choice

0:00Secretary of War Pete Hagueceth just dropped a big change for the military flu shots are now optional for all troops effective right away. He announced a Tuesday on social media, calling the old mandate overly broad and not rational. Troops who want the vaccine can still get it, but no one's forced anymore. This comes after the COVID vaccine push under Biden, where about 8,200 servicemembers got discharged for a refusing. Hagueceth said that error forced folks to pick between their conscience and their country, and he's putting an end to that kind of pressure. Military vaccination programs go way back to the American Revolution, but these recent shifts aim to give Troops more freedom. Meanwhile, over 150 of those COVID-separated members have already been reinstated since last year, with back pay on the table under the new administration. On the bigger picture, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shook things up earlier this year by dropping recommendations for several childhood. Vaccines, like flu, hepatitis, and RSV for every kid, but a federal judge blocked it last month, saying the process skipped proper steps after Kennedy replaced the vaccine advisory panel with fresh.

1:09Voices. Now the military is leading the way on choice, and we'll see if these policy ripples spread further, or hit more roadblocks ahead. From your city, powered by AI, this is California News Today. I'm Corey with The Story.