Nearly 1,000 Armed Forces members denied COVID-19 vaccine exemptions

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OTTAWA — The Canadian Armed Forces says over three-quarters of the greater than 1,300 service members who utilized for an exemption from the army’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement have had their requests denied.

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Vice-chief of the defence employees Lt.-Gen. Frances Allen revealed the determine throughout testimony to a parliamentary committee this week, by which she additionally sidestepped questions on what’s going to occur to these troops if the vaccine requirement is lifted.

Chief of the defence employees Gen. Wayne Eyre ordered all army personnel to be totally vaccinated by mid-October to guard the Canadian Armed Forces from COVID-19. The deadline was later prolonged to mid-December.

Whereas most service members complied with the order, with the Defence Division reporting greater than 98% of Canadian troops had chosen to get vaccinated, a whole lot of others didn’t.

Allen informed the Home of Commons defence committee that of the greater than 1,300 Armed Forces members who utilized an exemption from the requirement for medical or spiritual causes, solely 158 had their requests authorized.

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Of the remaining requests, Allen mentioned 980 have been denied whereas one other 160 are nonetheless below evaluate.

Regardless of the big variety of denials, solely a handful of army personnel have been pressured to hold up their uniforms thus far.

The Defence Division final week reported that 39 Armed Forces members have been involuntarily launched since December, although one other 206 are within the strategy of being pressured out of the army.

Ninety-four full-time members had voluntarily hung up their uniforms moderately than get vaccinated, the division added. The variety of part-time reservists who’ve chosen to depart — or are in peril of being kicked out — wasn’t obtainable.

Senior commanders have additionally offered quite a few warnings, counselling periods and different efforts to persuade vaccine-resistant troops to vary their minds and get their jabs.

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The Defence Division mentioned almost 1,000 troops had been issued warnings since December, whereas formal opinions have been launched towards 445 members who proceed to defy the vaccination order after different remedial measures have been exhausted.

Allen revealed the figures as she was being grilled by Conservative committee members, who additionally requested what would occur to these troops pressured out of uniform if or when the vaccine requirement is lifted.

“Vaccination is a requirement … for entry into the Canadian Armed Forces,” Allen mentioned in response to a query from Conservative MP Ed Quick. “That’s the requirement presently, until they’re unable to be vaccinated.”

Navy officers additionally revealed that they’re brief about 7,500 recruits for the time being, exacerbating a rising scarcity of Canadian army personnel at a time when the Armed Forces is being requested to reply to quite a few crises at residence and overseas.