U.S. Military Reinstates Flu Vaccine Requirement Amid Outbreak at Air Force Base

The U.S. military has reinstated flu vaccine requirements for basic trainees following an outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base that has affected at least 222 recruits. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had made the flu shot optional in April, a decision that deviated from long-standing public health guidelines. Reports indicate that only about 40% of new trainees had received the vaccine before the outbreak began in early June. As of June 24, the number of flu cases had risen from 159 to 222, with four recruits hospitalized and one death reported. The Pentagon has allowed the Army, Navy, and Air Force to revert to mandatory flu vaccinations for recruits. Hegseth previously criticized the old mandate as overly broad, but officials are now expanding the requirement to include additional personnel such as first responders and healthcare staff.