US army begins discharging soldiers who refuse Covid vaccine

Army secretary says move is essential for combat readiness after vaccination made mandatory for service members in August 2021

US soldiers who refuse to get a Covid-19 vaccine will be immediately discharged, the US army said on Wednesday, saying the move was critical to maintain combat readiness.

The army's order applies to regular army soldiers, active-duty army reservists and cadets unless they have approved or pending exemptions, it said in a statement.