US prepares to mandate COVID jab for all active-duty military

About 750,000 members of the US military have not yet been vaccinated against the virus.

The Biden administration is preparing to require all members of the United States military to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the US races to inoculate its population against a new wave of more infectious coronavirus variants and hospitalisations soar. President Joe Biden last month ordered the US Defense Department to develop a plan to make vaccines mandatory for all troops and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was expected to announce the requirement as soon as Friday. Biden has already directed that all federal workers be vaccinated or face frequent testing and travel restrictions. Until now, the Biden administration has relied on encouraging troops to get vaccinated rather than mandating the shots.