{"id":26909,"date":"2021-06-18T18:51:37","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T18:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/06\/18\/cnp-covid-vaccines-likely-to-become-mandatory-soon\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:18:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:18:13","slug":"cnp-covid-vaccines-likely-to-become-mandatory-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/06\/18\/cnp-covid-vaccines-likely-to-become-mandatory-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"CNP: COVID vaccines likely to become mandatory soon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As COVID-19 vaccine rates continue to inch upward and cases continue to fall across America, the Navy\u2019s top personnel officer said this week that sailors should expect the vaccine to become mandatory in the not-too-distant future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at a Facebook townhall event<\/a>, Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Nowell<\/a> noted that the vaccine remains voluntary for now because of its emergency-use status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approves the vaccines, the Navy will likely make it mandatory, like the flu jab, Nowell said this week, echoing what other admirals have said in recent months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it\u2019s formally approved, which we expect pretty soon, we\u2019ll probably go to that,\u201d he told a sailor who asked about COVID vaccinations and differing sailor opinions on getting the jabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat question will be moot,\u201d Nowell added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also reassured wary sailors that their VA benefits or other healthcare needs won\u2019t be impacted by whether they take or decline the vaccines during this voluntary period.<\/p>\n\n\n\t