(CNN) The Navy became the first branch in the US military to issue service-wide incentives for sailors to get vaccinated against Covid-19, including increased freedom of movement at port calls and the ending of pre-deployment quarantine for those who have been vaccinated. The updated guidance, issued Monday afternoon, stresses the safety of the vaccines and their impact on Navy operations. The more Sailors that are vaccinated, the better for them, their families, the Navy, and the Nation," said Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy, as part of the updated guidance. According to the latest measures, sailors who are fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine before a deployment, while those who are not vaccinated must sequester for 14 days. Like other services, the Navy framed vaccination as an issue of military readiness, saying that immunized sailors allow the Navy to increase "mission assurance while remaining equipped to deploy forward and win every day in competition, conflict and crisis."

Source: CNN May 24, 2021 21:09 UTC