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The development, confirmed to The Associated Press by a Pentagon official, comes amid a growing, weekslong, flu outbreak at the U.S. Air Force’s boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base that has sickened nearly 300 people.
The Pentagon official explained that the decision on those exceptions were being finalized earlier in June and the timing with the outbreak at Lackland was just a coincidence.
The new outbreak is “not unusually concerning,” said Dr. Arnold Monto, a flu expert and emeritus professor at the University of Michigan.
Flu is mainly a problem in the late fall and winter – “flu season,” as it is known.
If you want to prevent flu outbreaks, “it is especially necessary to vaccinate when there are group settings,” Monto said.
“For decades, the military prioritized the health and safety of troops and the public by requiring flu vaccine for recruits. »