Flu Outbreak Worsens at Air Force Training Hub

[applegrove]

Flu Outbreak Worsens at Air Force Training Hub

June 24, 2026 at 11:33 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 31 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2026/06/24/flu-outbreak-worsens-at-air-force-training-hub/

“A flu outbreak at the Air Force’s basic training hub in San Antonio is worsening, according to two sources familiar with the situation,” ABC News reports.

“The outbreak is unfolding just two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the annual flu shot optional for troops, scrapping the military’s requirement for it, which dates to 1945, a move breaking with longstanding public health directives.”

[Lovie777]

1. Republican party don't care.................

[purr-rat beauty]

2. With the USAF racist bullshit going on...

...I say, they reap what they sow

I feel bad for the recruits ( the decent ones ) but their leadership is shit and shameful.

Sincerely,
A USAF Gulf Veteran

[LisaL]

3. And it's not even a flu season.

Imagine what is going to happen during flu season, with all these un-vaccinated individuals in close proximity to each other. What exactly is our army going to be ready for, other than the hospital?

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

4. Scary. Trump admin wants to do that to all of USA

[31j20b3]

5. When I was in Basic, the Ft Leonard Wood med team were fighting ARD

a nebulous designation for Acute Respiratory Disease. But it had us jumping through hoops, including "ventilating" barracks with December air by opening the windows for an hour every morning while we "fell in", marched off to breakfast and jogged back to the now temperature challenged barracks.

[Abolishinist]

6. Breaking news...

Military services again requiring recruits to get flu shots as Air Force outbreak grows.

https://abcnews.com/Health/military-services-requiring-recruits-flu-shots-air-force/story?id=134126794

[mountain grammy]

15. Literally just happened

Thanks for posting!

[Abolishinist]

16. In my attempt to see how many were diagnosed, I ran across the following.

Very interesting, especially the 'variolation' procedure.

Historical Context: During the Revolutionary War, smallpox had a mortality rate of up to 30%, decimating colonial forces and contributing to the failure of the 1776 invasion of Quebec.

The Directive: On February 5, 1777, George Washington wrote to Continental Army Medical Director Dr. William Shippen and Congress, ordering mandatory inoculation for all incoming recruits and veterans who had not yet been exposed.

The Procedure: At the time, there were no modern vaccines. Doctors used a process called variolation, where they cut the skin of a healthy patient and inserted pus taken from an active smallpox lesion to induce a milder, manageable case of the disease. While natural smallpox had a 30% fatality rate, variolation typically induced a milder case, resulting in a 1% to 2% mortality rate and lifelong immunity.

Strategic Secrecy: Washington originally banned unsanctioned inoculations because soldiers would be incapacitated for a month, creating a vulnerability. Once implemented as a mandated army policy, he required it to be done covertly over the winter so the British would not discover that his troops were temporarily weakened.

[Deuxcents]

7. They have probably forgotten the lesson from 1918 Army training camp in Kansas and Influenza A

We know a world pandemic was the result but we have medicine to help prevent these viruses that we didn’t have 100 years ago and still MAGA has an aversion to science and medicine.. not much help for that, though

[Puppyjive]

8. Long term benefits

For those who suffer long term from the flu, the government will be on the hook for medical care. If only this could have been avoided.

[erronis]

9. If you can trust the government. I don't, under any (r)epuglicon or trump/magat.

[Evolve Dammit]

10. How the "great influenza" started. Army base

[paleotn]

11. Republicans equal harbingers of pestilence.

[BidenRocks]

12. Suckers and Losers!

The key word was "optional", not "stupid"!
Given a choice, you all chose wrong.
Helpful hint? Use bed railings.

[IronLionZion]

13. I hope the people who want the vaccine can still get it

I've met some people even on the left who should know better, but have clearly misguided views about vaccines for some reason.

[dave99]

14. Stick the Secartary Hesberger into those wards... See how he can take it and spread it to his kids/children/offspring

[BidenRocks]

17. AP: Flu shots once again mandatory!

It took nearly 300 to get their attention.