The U.S. Naval Academy is now authorized by the Department of the Navy to begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to its midshipmen. Midshipmen will begin to receive the vaccination as early as Thursday, March 11.
“The Navy has prioritized vaccinating the operational forces first, and they’re developing very safe and healthy bubbles. For midshipmen to participate in summer training programs to meet Navy requirements, we need to begin vaccinating them now,” said Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck.
Vaccinating the midshipmen now will allow them to participate in summer training. Midshipman summer training programs are generally blocked into 3- or 4-week periods throughout the summer, the first of which is scheduled to begin May 15. All summer training programs, with the exception of the Marine Corps’ Leatherneck and several special operations-specific training, were cancelled last summer due to the pandemic.
The midshipmen receiving the vaccine will not offset the previously planned schedule for vaccinating faculty, staff, and employees, who currently fall under Navy population schema 1b; they will continue to get vaccinated concurrently as the vaccines are made available.
The COVID-19 vaccine is currently voluntary for active duty members, including midshipmen, while it is in an Emergency Use Authorization status. If a given vaccine later becomes licensed by the Federal Drug Administration, it could become mandatory.
As a reminder, the Naval Academy and Naval Support Activity Annapolis remain closed to all public visitation. For more information on these restrictions, visit https://www.usna.edu/COVID-19.
