Deadly questions emerge as flu outbreak spreads among military recruits
(AFP/Getty)
A flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio has reportedly sickened nearly 160 troops, prompting the Air Force to temporarily reinstate mandatory flu shots for recruits there.
This outbreak occurs less than two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon was canceling the military’s requirement for yearly flu vaccinations.
Hegseth had previously criticized the mandatory flu and COVID shots as “absurd, overreaching mandates” that he believed weakened military capabilities.
A basic military trainee, Keon McDaniel, died earlier in the week after experiencing a “medical emergency” at the base, though the cause is under investigation and it is unclear if it was flu-related.
Despite the outbreak, the Pentagon defended its new policy, stating decisions were based on thorough risk assessments, while the administration has elevated vaccine skeptics to top positions.
