U.S. 2nd Fleet<\/a> spokeswoman Cmdr. Ashley Hockycko declined to say how many Ike sailors have tested positive in recent weeks but said it was a \u201cvery small\u201d number.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNo vaccine for the Ike strike group has led the carrier officer to wonder if the crew will be forced to deploy once again with no port calls to maintain their COVID-free bubble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Ike not getting vaccinated is one more slap across the face to this beaten down crew,\u201d the officer told Navy Times. \u201cWe should have priority, just like all other branches prioritize their deploying members.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While some Norfolk ship crews were getting vaccinated this week, the Ike carrier strike group\u2019s schedule and overall vaccine supplies prevented those sailors from getting their jabs, according to Hockycko.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ship got underway this week for training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pentagon\u2019s vaccination plan calls for frontline healthcare workers and first responders to get the vaccine first, followed by \u201ccritical national capabilities\u201d like subs carrying nuclear weapons, followed by deploying units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnfortunately, due to the timeline the vaccine became available during our pre-underway planning process, we were not able to get IKECSG both doses of the vaccine prior to upcoming operations,\u201d Hockycko said, adding that Ike sailors would have had to break their-pre deployment quarantine to go get the shots down the road at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots that are spaced several weeks apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hampton Roads has only received the Pfizer vaccine, but not enough to vaccinate all health care workers and first responders in addition to the entire strike group, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At-sea jabs of the Pfizer variant are also not possible, Hockycko said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-cold storage, and carriers, cruisers and destroyers do not have the (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)-required ultra-cold freezers required to store the vaccine onboard, which would make it impossible for the Sailors to be administered the second dose,\u201d she said. \u201cThe good news is that the vaccine rollout plan is well underway, and we are executing a plan to ensure all future deploying units have the opportunity to receive both doses of the vaccine prior to departure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Navy officials declined to say this week how many sailors have been vaccinated to date, citing \u201cOPSEC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But according to the CDC, nearly 160,000 first doses of the vaccine have been administered within the U.S. Defense Department, while just more than 16,000 people have received the second dose, which comes weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all Ike sailors were as strident about the carrier being prioritized for the vaccines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One petty officer who also asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution said they were skeptical about the vaccine and thought it needed \u201cto be further tested.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The petty officer said that since most of the crew are young and healthy, COVID infections have not been severe in the ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know some of my brothers and sisters would like to get vaccinated for their family members\u2019 sake,\u201d the petty officer added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n