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Take COVID-19 Vaccine or Face Discipline, the UK Army Reportedly Warns Troops

© AFP 2023 / SHAUN CURRYSoldiers from the British 7th Armoured Brigade who have returned from service on operations in Iraq march past Big Ben in London (File)
Soldiers from the British 7th Armoured Brigade who have returned from service on operations in Iraq march past Big Ben in London (File) - Sputnik International, 1920, 19.05.2021
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Late last week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called to accelerate the country's COVID-19 vaccination programme to contain the rapid spread of the Indian variant of the coronavirus, which has now formed clusters in various parts of Britain.

The British Army is considering disciplining troops who are reluctant to take a COVID-19 vaccine, according to official military documents seen by the Daily Mail.

Orders to the Royal Artillery and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers that were reportedly issued earlier this week, warn that anyone who is refusing to have a coronavirus jab "is to be educated by the CoC [Chain of Command] and any rumours quashed".

The documents stipulate that if the person in question "still refuses, they may be deemed as unfit to soldier and dealt with accordingly as the CV-19 jab may be a requirement to deploy on operations/exercises, much like yellow fever".

Lewis Cherry, a leading UK military lawyer, told the Daily Mail the tone of the orders may amount to "threats" or "bullying".

Referring to the vaccine, he said that "unless this becomes a compulsory injection it remains a medical procedure that requires informed consent".

Under British law, the military cannot force soldiers to get jabs, but being "unfit to soldier" is an offence under the Armed Forces Act.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) pledged to remain "committed to keeping our staff, their families, and communities safe at home and overseas", adding that "all our personnel are being vaccinated in line with national priority guidelines".

"The FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office] and Defence are working jointly to ensure UK Government and Armed Forces personnel overseas within the first nine priority groups are offered a vaccine in line with the UK population, including those in Defence Overseas Bases and Operational areas", the ministry told the Daily Mail.

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Earlier this month, in a guideline to employers about asking staff to get vaccinated as soon as possible, the UK's Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service stressed that "it's best to support staff to get the vaccine without forcing them to".

The remarks came as hesitancy about receiving a vaccine was blamed on the surge in infections of the Indian variant of COVID-19 in certain parts of the UK.

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