Nearly 40% of U.S. Marines refuse vaccinations against Covid-19, according to data the service provided to CNN on Friday, the first affiliate to release numbers across the service on acceptance and refusal.
As of Thursday, approximately 75,500 Marines have received vaccines, including fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated duty men and women. About 48,000 Marines have opted not to receive vaccines, against a 38.9% drop-off rate.
CNN has reached out to the other services for acceptance and rejection rates.
The corresponding vaccination acceptance rate among Marines – 61.1% – is not far off from the military estimate of two-thirds, or about 66%.
Another 102,000 Marines have not yet been offered the vaccines. The total number of Marines includes active duty, reserves and individual mobilization augmented marines.
According to another set of data provided to CNN, the declination rate at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, one of the Marine Corps’ prominent bases, was much higher at 57%. Of the 26,400 Marines who received vaccinations, 15,100 chose not to receive them, a number that includes both II Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installation East – Camp Lejeune. Another 11,500 active Marines will be offered the vaccines.
“We fully understand that widespread acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine provides us with the best way to beat the pandemic. The key to tackling the pandemic is to build confidence in the vaccine,” said the Corps spokeswoman. Marines, Colonel Kelly Frushour, in a statement to CNN.
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