{"id":55361,"date":"2021-03-10T22:04:47","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T22:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/03\/10\/after-covid-19-spike-in-centcom-more-vaccine-on-the-way-to-deployed-troops\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:49:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:49:56","slug":"after-covid-19-spike-in-centcom-more-vaccine-on-the-way-to-deployed-troops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/03\/10\/after-covid-19-spike-in-centcom-more-vaccine-on-the-way-to-deployed-troops\/","title":{"rendered":"After COVID-19 \u2018spike\u2019 in CENTCOM, more vaccine on the way to deployed troops"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In late February, the commander of an Air Force medical squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia<\/a> posted a video<\/a> online, noting a \u201cconcerning rise\u201d in the number of cases of COVID-19<\/a> in that country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Defense Department and the services have largely kept mum about cases at individual bases, citing operational security concerns, but a Pentagon spokesman confirmed to Military Times on Wednesday that there had been something of a spike last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRegionally, there has been a large increase in COVID-19 cases, both in host nations, as well as on U.S. military installations,\u201d Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Hatcher, who commands the 378th Expeditionary Medical Squadron at Prince Sultan Air Base, said in the Feb. 24 video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hatcher went on to say that his medical staff had \u201crecently\u201d administered first rounds of vaccines to medical personnel, who have been at the top of the vaccination priority list since DoD received its first doses in mid-December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe anticipate over the next few months that PSAD will <\/b>see more availability of the vaccine,\u201d Hatcher said, his comments lining up with recent concerns about how long it was taking to get troops downrange vaccinated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While specific numbers were not available, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Military Times on Wednesday that the trends in new COVID-19 cases among deployed troops are not significantly different than what the department is seeing stateside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCases in Air Force Central Command have been well below comparable U.S. averages, especially at Prince Sultan Air Base,\u201d Kirby said, adding that current totals are at fewer than five active cases in the command and fewer than one new case-per-100,000 personnel daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There had been some \u201cslight spikes in the host nations\u201d at the time of the video\u2019s filming, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\t