Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jennifer Benedict | 210406-N-QW460-1093 NAVAL BASE KITSAP-BREMERTON, Wash. (Apr. 06, 2021) Command Master...... read more read more
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NAVAL BASE KITSAP-BREMERTON, Wash. – Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) began receiving their first dose of the Moderna coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine April 6.
The first of the two-dose vaccine was distributed by the ship’s medical department while pierside in its homeport of Bremerton.
Capt. Joshua Wenker, executive officer of Nimitz, said distribution of the vaccine is vital to mission readiness because it will keep Sailors and their families healthy, allowing the ship to maintain operations.
“[Vaccinations] will ensure the good-health of Sailors and their families and will also reduce all of the restriction of movement requirements that come with executing important events, like training and PCS [Permanent Change of Station],” said Wenker. “The vaccine will keep the force and the families ready.”
Nimitz Command Master Chief David Conduff was among the first to receive the vaccine aboard the ship.
“I chose to get vaccinated because I wanted to be a leader who can show our Sailors that this vaccine is important for all of us to return back to normal,” said Conduff. “This is one of those important things, not just for me or for our Sailors, but for all of our families as well. It is important for me to get vaccinated in order to lead that charge and show that we all can do this to help each other out.”
While highly encouraged, receiving the vaccine remains voluntary for all Navy personnel while under the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
“I think it’s okay that Sailors have the choice of getting vaccinated or not,” said Conduff. “There are some Sailors who do not feel up to getting vaccinated and that is their right. We enjoy our Sailors’ free thought. That is something they are allowed to have.”
Approximately 3,000 vaccinations are expected to be administered to the Nimitz crew over a period of six days with a tentative seventh day as needed.
Nimitz, the flagship of Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, recently returned to home port following a record-setting deployment spanning 340 days where the ship and crew conducted operations and exercises in the U.S. Third, Fifth and Seventh Fleets. Nimitz is undergoing planned maintenance at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.09.2021 22:21 |
| Story ID: | 393527 |
| Location: | BREMERTON, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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