Nearly 40 percent of U.S. marines are taking COVID-19 vaccinations, according to a new report.
About 75,500 Marines received shots at vaccines, CNN reported Friday. But 48,000 other marines refused the shots. This means that 38.9 percent of all Marines have fired so far.
Another 102,000 marines have not yet been offered vaccinations.
These statistics are even more grim than the February reports which indicate that about a third of military personnel generally do not want to be vaccinated.
At the time, General Jeff Taliaferro, deputy director of air force operations, said a soldier in Congress needed training to help them understand the benefits of the vaccine.
According to Military.com, on April 9, there were 273,503 cases of COVID-19 within the Department of Defense.
Part of the reason why declination rates are so high among service members is that vaccinations for COVID-19 are not yet mandatory, and that those who refuse the vaccine can still be used.
“We have already proven over the past year that we are fully capable of working in a COVID environment,” Taliaferro said in February.
In a statement to CNN, Marine Corps spokesman Col. Kelly Frushour, said they focus on building confidence in the vaccine among staff.
“We firmly believe that accepting the COVID-19 vaccine provides us with the best way to defeat the pandemic.”
