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Pentagon pauses plan to give COVID vaccine to Guantanamo detainees

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Agence France-Presse

<p>WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Saturday it was putting on hold a plan to give COVID vaccines to terror detainees at Guantanamo, following an outcry as the United States struggles to deliver jabs to frontline workers and vulnerable elderly Americans.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/21/21/biden-launches-covid-19-initiatives-on-first-full-day-in-white-house">Biden launches COVID-19 initiatives on first full day in White House</a></li></ul><p>&quot;No Guantanamo detainees have been vaccinated,&quot; Pentagon spokesman John Kirby tweeted. &quot;We&#x27;re pausing the plan to move forward, as we review force protection protocols. We remain committed to our obligations to keep our troops safe.&quot;</p><p>The Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba houses detainees in the US &quot;war on terror,&quot; including top Al-Qaeda figure and alleged 9/11 attack planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.</p><p>The Department of Defense told US media earlier in the week that it would offer vaccines to its detainees and prisoners, to be administered &quot;on a voluntary basis.&quot;</p><p>Backlash came from Republican lawmakers including the party&#x27;s top congressman, Kevin McCarthy.</p><p>&quot;President Biden told us he would have a plan to defeat the virus on day 1. He just never told us that it would be to give the vaccine to terrorists before most Americans,&quot; he said on Twitter.</p><p>Added New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik: &quot;It is inexcusable and un-American that President Biden is choosing to prioritize vaccinations for convicted terrorists in Gitmo over vulnerable American seniors or veterans.&quot; </p><p>The United States has been the world&#x27;s hardest-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, in absolute terms, with 436,000 deaths and nearly 26 million cases.</p><p>President Joe Biden has pledged to vaccine 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office, but so far the country&#x27;s mass inoculation drive has been beset by stumbles, including a shortfall in vaccines and widespread technical difficulties for eligible Americans trying to make appointments.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/overseas/01/22/21/biden-tututukan-ang-pagresolba-sa-pandemya-sa-amerika">Biden tututukan ang pagresolba sa pandemya sa Amerika</a></li></ul><p>According to health officials, the US has so far administered just under 30 million of the nearly 50 million doses distributed in the country.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/21/21/us-virus-deaths-top-wwii-fatalities-as-biden-warns-worst-yet-to-come">US virus deaths top WWII fatalities as Biden warns worst yet to come</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/multimedia/photo/12/15/20/us-administers-initial-covid-19-shots">US administers initial COVID-19 shots</a></li></ul><div><strong>acb/st</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-FfKnF2m1YY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The Pentagon said Saturday it was putting on hold a plan to give COVID vaccines to terror detainees at Guantanamo, following an outcry as the United States struggles to deliver jabs to frontline workers and vulnerable elderly Americans.</p>

The Pentagon said Saturday it was putting on hold a plan to give COVID vaccines to terror detainees at Guantanamo, following an outcry as the United States struggles to deliver jabs to frontline workers and vulnerable elderly Americans.