Nearly 160 sick with flu at US air force base after Hegseth ends mandatory vaccines
Summary
Over 150 military recruits at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas became sick with the flu after the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, ended the rule requiring flu vaccines for servicemembers. After the vaccine became optional, fewer recruits chose to get vaccinated, and the outbreak affected those living and training close together.Key Facts
- More than 150 recruits at Lackland Air Force Base fell ill with the flu.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended the mandatory flu vaccination for military members.
- After the vaccine became optional, about 40% of recruits chose to get vaccinated.
- Around 46% of U.S. adults received flu vaccines during the 2025-26 flu season.
- Lackland Air Force Base is part of Joint Base San Antonio, with 70,000 members.
- Recruits live closely together in dorms and eat together, which helps spread airborne illnesses.
- One trainee, Keon McDaniel, died after a medical emergency, but it is unclear if it was related to the flu outbreak.
- After the outbreak, Air Force officials ordered recruits to get vaccinated as part of efforts to control it.
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