Healthcare

Pentagon pauses vaccination plan for Guantanamo Bay prisoners after massive blowback from public

Published

10 months ago

January 30, 2021

Staff Writer

After massive blowback, the Pentagon has changed its policy on vaccinating prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.

“No Guantanamo detainees have been vaccinated. We’re pausing the plan to move forward, as we review force protection protocols. We remain committed to our obligations to keep our troops safe,” press secretary for the Pentagon John Kirby said in a Saturday tweet.

The original policy was going to see prisoners including the alleged mastermind behind 9/11 get vaccines before most Americans.

Here is the original story:

A prosecutor in the case against five Gitmo prisoners who allegedly conspired in the 9/11 attacks confirmed the vaccinations will be given to the prisoners. Khalid Shekih Mohammad, the accused mastermind of the horrific 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people is one of the prisoners set for vaccination.

The prosecutor confirmed in an email saying “that an official in the Pentagon has just signed a memo approving the delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine to the detainee population in Guantanamo,” according to The Blaze.

Guantanamo Bay detainees to be offered coronavirus vaccines https://t.co/HyB8Xme6yo pic.twitter.com/TGGeWeLWsj
— The Hill (@thehill) January 29, 2021

DOD officials confirmed that an order was signed that the vaccines will be “offered to all detainees and prisoners,” according to the New York Post.

“It will be administered on a voluntary basis and in accordance with the Department’s priority distribution plan,” spokesman Michael Howard informed the New York Post.

Healthcare

American and Southwest stand by vaccine mandate, despite Abbott’s ban

Published

2 months ago

October 13, 2021

Staff Writer

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are still planning to comply with President Biden’s executive order regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. The order requires all their employees to be vaccinated by Dec. 8t. As a result, they will be ignoring Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s ban on vaccine mandates.

Folks, vaccination requirements work. pic.twitter.com/XuBsOQxGaN
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 9, 2021

Abbott announced his own executive order, effectively banning mandates even from private employers, on Tuesday. “In another instance of federal overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas’ continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster,” Abbott said. “The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced.”

Yet both airlines are requiring their employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 24. This comes despite Southwest’s impromptu cancellation of over 2,000 flights over the weekend. At the time, the airline blamed the cancellations on air traffic control and weather conditions. However, SaraACarter.com was unable to verify that any other airline had to cancel near as many flights for the same reasons. This has left many to speculate that Southwest actually cancelled flights due to their employees walking out as a direct result of the mandate.

Just got passed this flyer from a Southwest employee #FreedomFlu pic.twitter.com/Q5gXGhxoma
— Handbrake Poso (@JackPosobiec) October 13, 2021

Reporter Jack Posobiec tweeted out a flyer circulating among the anti-vaxx Southwest employees. Currently, they are planning a protest outside of Southwest headquarters next Monday. The protest will be called “Freedom Not Force.”

Southwest told Reuters it “would be expected to comply with the President’s Order to remain compliant as a federal contractor.” In addition, American similarly said Abbott’s order does not change anything.

You can follow Jenny Goldsberry on Twitter @jennyjournalism.