The Pentagon will require members of the US military to receive COVID-19 vaccination by September 15, according to the White House and the Department of Defense.
That deadline could be pushed up if the Pfizer vaccine receives full Food and Drug Association (FDA) approval or infection rates continue to rise, according to The Associated Press.
“I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon’ licensure by the Food and Drug Administration ‘whichever comes first,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in the memo to troops, warning them to prepare for the requirement.
President Joe Biden, in a statement Monday, commended the new mandate by Austin.
“I am proud that our military women and men will continue to help lead the charge in the fight against this pandemic, as they so often do, by setting the example of keeping their fellow Americans safe,” Biden said.
