COVID vaccines to be required for military under new US plan

(AP) Members of the U.S. military will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine beginning next month.

The plan laid out by the Pentagon and endorsed by President Joe Biden was announced Monday. Top Pentagon leaders said in memos to the troops that the vaccine is a necessary step to maintain military readiness.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the mid-September deadline could be accelerated if the vaccine receives final FDA approval or infection rates continue to rise.