EDINBURGH – Camp Atterbury officials have completed a vaccination campaign to administer vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella and varicella (chickenpox) that vaccinated more than 6,100 eligible Afghan guests on the installation.
The vaccination campaign began Sept. 6 and concluded Sept. 17. Arriving Afghans are required to receive vaccinations for measles, COVID-19, and other diseases as a condition of their humanitarian parole, unless a medical provider determines, on a case-by-case basis, that a vaccine is not medically appropriate.
“The ultimate goal of Operation Allies Welcome is to successfully resettle vulnerable Afghans into local communities while prioritizing national security and public health,” said Robert Fenton, Senior Response Official for Operation Allies Welcome. “The success of this vaccination campaign demonstrates our commitment to the public health of Afghan nationals, the personnel assisting this mission, and the American public.”
The Department of Defense is temporarily providing medical screening, transportation, lodging and general support at eight DoD installations for Afghan special immigrant visa applicants, their families, and other Afghan personnel.
All of these individuals have gone through a multi-layer screening and vetting process involving biometric and biographic screenings conducted by intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals from the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
