About 40 percent of U.S. Marines have declined to take a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Pentagon officials.

Some 75,500 Marines are fully vaccinated or received one dose, and around 48,000 Marines have declined the shot, Communication Strategy and Operations Officer Capt. Andrew Woods told several news outlets over the weekend.

“We fully understand that widespread acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine provides us with the best means to defeat this pandemic. The key to addressing this pandemic is building vaccine confidence,” said Woods, according to USA Today.