Pentagon officials said Wednesday that about one-third of the US military are declining to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, despite significant coronavirus infection levels in the forces.

Major General Jeff Taliaferro revealed the high refusal rate in Congressional hearing, as the US Defense Department continues to classify covid vaccines as optional because they have yet to receive full approval from the Federal Drug Administration.

"Acceptance rates are somewhere in the two-thirds territory," said Taliaferro, stressing that the figure is based on "very early data."

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said that there was no detailed military-wide data on vaccinations, but said more than 916,500 had been administered so far.

Kirby said the level of refusal is on par with that of the general population, where the vaccine has not been offered nearly as widely.

"We in the military basically mirror the acceptance rates of American society," Kirby told reporters.

The government has tapped the military and National Guard to help vaccinate the general public people.

Kirby said that by the end of this week, more than one million members of the military will have received vaccine shots.

The Pentagon makes most standard vaccinations mandatory for military personnel.

But because the covid vaccines have only been approved on an emergency basis, they cannot be forced on people, Kirby said.

"There is a real limit, legally, that we have, to make it mandatory for our troops and their families."

He noted that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has received the vaccine.

"What the secretary wants is for the men and women of the department to make the best and most informed decision for them and their health and the health of their families," Kirby said.

Army opens civilian COVID-19 vaccination site in Los Angeles
 Washington DC (UPI) Feb 17, 2021 –

A COVID-19 vaccination center staffed by 222 U.S. Army personnel is open in Los Angeles, the Defense Department announced on Wednesday.

As a Type 1 center, the site at California State University Los Angeles can to offer up to 6,000 vaccinations per day.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has requested up to 50 more Type 1 teams, as well as 50 Type 2 teams with 139 personnel capable of 3,000 vaccinations per day, Gen. Glen D. VanHerck of the U.S. Northern Command said in a Defense Department statement.

"The target goal for this site was Feb. 16, and that was delivered on. The site is ramping up quickly. It'll get towards 6,000 vaccinations per day," VanHerck said.

The soldiers are deployed from Fort Carson, Colo, as well as Army North's Joint Task Force 46. The task force is also managing 355 military medical personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force who provide ongoing medical support to 14 hospitals in 13 cities within California, Arizona, Texas, and the Navajo Nation.

A second, federally-funded vaccination site, staffed by FEMA personnel, also opened in Oakland on Wednesday.

Current Defense Department plans call for additional military-operated Type 1 and Type 2 installations, staffed by Air Force personnel, in Dallas, Houston and Arlington, Texas, and in Queens and Brooklyn in New York City.

The White House announced plans to involve up to 1,000 U.S. troops in civilian vaccinations on Feb. 5.