You know those National Guard members that did not take the COVID vaccine because they applied for a religious exemption?
Well, some of the members of the Maine National Guard were “unknowingly” given the vaccine.
Rather than getting a flu shot, at least one Guardsman was given the COVID vaccine.
Just an Accident
I am trying to figure out how you give someone the wrong medicine “accidentally,” but that is the excuse former Maine National Guard Specialist Mathew Bouchar was given.
Bouchar filled out his form to refuse the vaccine back in April 2021.
He was due to be separated for refusing the vaccine, but he was still ordered to get a flu shot that November.
He again filled out the refusal form for the COVID vaccine and completed a form for the flu vaccine.
According to Bouchar, there were separate lines for the vaccine and the flu shot.
The next day, Bouchar was called for a meeting with a sergeant major, chaplain, and others in the chain of command.
In that meeting, he was told he was given the vaccine rather than a flu shot.
Boucher was told this was not intentional, but there were numerous protocols that were skipped as well him never being made aware of any investigation results.
Bouchar is reportedly not the only person this happened to.
The Maine National Guard responded, “The Maine National Guard has not, and would never purposefully administer a COVID vaccine in place of an influenza vaccine.
“A very small number of service members were accidentally given a COVID vaccine several months ago during a clinic for service members where both shots were being administered.
“Those involved were informed as soon as the error was made known, the incident was investigated, and protocols were adjusted appropriately to ensure the same mistake was not made again.
“The Maine National Guard fully supports service members submitting for religious accommodation exceptions for any vaccination and has forwarded dozens of COVID religious accommodation requests to the next higher level for review.
“Plans for including accommodations have been a part of all DoD level and state level vaccination efforts.”
Raise your hand if you believe them… I don’t see any hands up, which is about what I expected because I know I don’t believe them.
