5 more military COVID-19 deaths as active-duty force inches toward 100% vaccination

Military COVID-19 deaths are continuing to trend upward, even as more of the force gets vaccinated. The five most recently reported deaths all came in members of the Army’s reserve component, whose organizations are among the least vaccinated in the military.

In the 36 deaths reported since August, 19 ― or 53 percent ― were among Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers, though they make up roughly 20 percent of the military overall. Since the pandemic began, they have made up 26 of 67 total deaths, or 39 percent.

Of those 67, 66 were completely unvaccinated, while one had received a first dose of a two-dose vaccine, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Charlie Dietz confirmed to Military Times on Wednesday.