THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
On Tuesday, January 5, Lt. Col. Rhodora Beckinger of the 488th Intelligent Squadron became the first member of the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. The innoculation coincided with the rollout of the Department of Defense's vaccine distribution plan, which is aimed at protecting the health of military and civilian employees, their families and local communities.
Explaining the distribution plan, Lt. Col. Donald Michael, 48th Fighter Wing alternate public health emergency officer, said that "Initially, the vaccine will be offered under an Emergency Use Authorization, and vaccinations will be voluntary until achieving full FDA approval". Michael went on to say that "Initial quantities of the vaccine are limited and will be distributed on a rolling delivery basis as more vaccines become available", with current doses prioritized for medical personnel, individuals performing duties related to national security, and those involved in installation functions.
Col. Blaine Baker, vice commander of the 100th Air Refueling Wing, added that "We remain committed to our strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect our people, maintain readiness and support the national COVID-19 response".
If you're employed by the US Air Force in the UK, or are a family member of someone who is, more information on the local distribution plan of vaccines is available at www.mildenhall.af.mil/Info/COVID-19-Information/COVID-19-Vaccine-Information.
