Examining New Approaches for Implementing Vaccine Mandates Within the Department of Defense: How Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates Could Improve Future Vaccination Campaigns
Abstract
This report was written in the time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in July 2022, some two and a half years after the first cases were identified. Therefore, the impetus for this study was the desire to (1) understand how the Department of Defense (DoD) COVID-19vaccination program was developed and implemented, (2) determine how previous DoD vaccination programs influenced those decisions, and (3) identify opportunities to strengthen the departments vaccination program, particularly against emerging infectious diseases, such asCOVID-19. To that end, we examine the laws and policies that guide the overall DoD vaccination program, study lessons learned from other DoD vaccination programs, and determine the policies for handling medical and administrative (including religious) exemptions. Through this analysis, we can clearly see how the two imperatives of ensuring force health protection and mission readiness have guided and continue to guide the decisions made concerning DoD vaccine policies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1202425
Entities
People
- Daniel M. Gerstein
- Kristie L. Gore
- Samantha Cherney
- Trupti Brahmbhatt
Organizations
- RAND Corporation