The process used by all services is for medical personnel to brief units on the inoculations then to provide individual counseling for those who desire it. Service members who still have questions get additional opportunities to talk to medical professionals, Claypool said. Each of the services is handling anthrax vaccinations somewhat differently, but all are handling them well, officials said. But this is something we are going to have to keep an eye on. The anthrax vaccination consists of a series of six shots over an 18-month period.
Protection increases with each shot.
Officials stressed the inoculation is safe. Providers prudently withheld further injections of those individuals pending clinical evaluations. The most common reaction has been minor knotting in the arm muscle where the shot was received. DoD officials confirmed some service members in the region have refused to get the shots, but the number is small. The services are taking appropriate administrative action against those who have refused direct orders to participate in the mandatory immunization program.