At least for now, detainees at the U.S. facility at Guantanamo Bay will not be getting any H1N1 vaccine, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.
From: www.cnn.com
Washington (CNN) -- The Pentagon stressed Tuesday that detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, won't be receiving H1N1 flu vaccinations until well after all Department of Defense active duty and civilian employees have received their vaccinations.
The clarification comes after significant criticism from members of Congress that prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay facility were being given the swine flu vaccine ahead of American citizens.
Asked about the criticism, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at a briefing Tuesday that no vaccines were being sent to Guantanamo at the moment.
What Gibbs left unsaid was that, ultimately, the detainees will be given the option to be vaccinated.
Pentagon officials said doses of the vaccine are on order for Guantanamo and are expected to arrive at the base in late November.
