Hospitalman Tanner Huffman, assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka Branch Health Clinic Sasebo, administers a COVID-19 vaccine booster during a shot exercise for Japanese Master Labor Contract (MLC), Indirect Hire Agreement (IHA), and MarinerÕs Contract (MC) employees employed at Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS) in Japan on Feb. 9, 2022. US Navy Photo
Twenty-five more sailors have been separated from the Navy in the last week for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the service.
There have now been 1,099 separations for sailors who will not get vaccinated against COVID-19 and do not have a waiver, according to the sea service’s weekly update.
Of the sailors who have been separated, 980 were active-duty, 98 were reservists and 22 were sailors in their first 180 days of service, reads the update.
“As of June 1, 2022, 3,906 active component and 3,279 Ready Reserve service members remain unvaccinated,” according to the service.
“There are 3,351 active duty and 864 Ready Reserve requests for a religious accommodation from immunization for the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The Navy cannot currently separate anyone who applied for a religious exemption due to a ruling in a federal lawsuit in Texas.
The service has approved 14 permanent and 213 temporary medical exemptions for active-duty sailors and one permanent and 78 temporary medical waivers for reservists.
The service has also approved 13 religious exemptions for members of the Individual Ready Reserve on the condition that they get vaccinated if called to reserve or active-duty status.