Hepatitis B immunizations

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jared Duhon
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The Department of Defense recently updated its immunization guidelines, requiring all service members to receive the hepatitis B virus immunizations.

Since 2002, the Air Force has administered the vaccination to new recruits, deploying Airmen and health care workers. However, about 10 percent of the active-duty force has not yet been vaccinated. Hepatitis B is a potentially fatal liver disease spread by contaminated blood or body fluids.

"The shot is important to ensure that all members of the Department of Defense, not just Air Force, are immunized from a potentially fatal disease, so that they are fit to fight in any situation," said Senior Airman Jeffery Utz, 436 Medical Operations Squadron allergy immunization specialists. "If someone did get hepatitis b, it could affect not only the member but the unit."

The hepatitis B vaccine is given in 3 doses.
- Dose 1 is administered at any given time.
- Dose 2 must be given at least 30 days after dose 1.
- Dose 3 must be given at least 60 days after dose 2, and at least 120 days after dose 1.

The Aeromedical Services Information Management System has been updated to comply with this requirement. The requirement for a hepatitis B vaccination began appearing on service members' individual medical readiness lists on March 28.

"Members needing the shot will be notified via e-mail and their unit deployment managers," said Utz. "They will also be told at their physical health assessments if they have not started already."

Members have 365 days to complete the three-shot series before they are flagged for non-compliance.

Commanders should ensure their Unit Health Monitors notify members of this requirement. Immediate action is recommended because it takes at least four months to complete the series.

Service members can check their IMR status online by visiting the Air Force Surgeon Generals web site at https://imr.afms.mil/imr/MyIMR.aspx.

(Information from the 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs was used in this story)