Pentagon Pauses Plan to Give COVID-19 Vaccines to Guantanamo Prisoners After GOP Criticism

The entrance to Camp VI, a prison used to house detainees at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on March 5, 2013. Bob Strong/Reuters

The Pentagon has paused a plan to administer COVID-19 vaccines to prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba after the move was heavily criticized by Republican representatives and 9/11 survivors.

“No Guantanamo detainees have been vaccinated. We’re pausing the plan to move forward, as we review force protection protocols. We remain committed to our obligations to keep our troops safe,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby wrote on Twitter on Jan. 30.