Dept. Of Veterans Affairs Becomes the First Major Federal Agency to Enforce New COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate For Health Care Workers
The Department of Veterans Affairs has just made COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for their health care personnel as the Delta variant continues to sweep across the nation. The variant has been the culprit in more than 80% of COVID cases in the U.S.
The Dept. of Veterans Affairs is now requiring their health care personnel to get vaccinated, making them the first major federal agency to set this rule into place.
The decision was made shortly after 60 leading medical and health care organizations made vaccination a requirement due to a rise in hospitalizations. VA health care workers now have eight weeks to meet this requirement to continue working at the facilities.
Apparently, vaccines will be mandated to certain health care workers, including physicians, physician assistants, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, and registered nurses. In addition, personnel who provide any direct care to veterans will also be required to be vaccinated. Veterans Affairs secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement:
“It’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said in a statement. “Whenever a veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19.”
The Delta variant is the virus found in COVID-19, first discovered in India back in December 2020. The strain began to spread rapidly, that it quickly became the dominant strain within the virus. This past June, the CDC has labeled it “a variant of concern.”
The call for mandatory vaccinations has sparked controversy and major concerns by many citizens who refuse vaccinations. It is also unclear what other options are given to VA employees who also refuse to be vaccinated.
A lot of nurses will quit, and not enough staffs already, now who’s gonna take care of the vets?
— Dia (@33Abundant_life) July 26, 2021
So the feds are gonna screw over the vets AGAIN!! Cos the people that work at Department of Veterans Affairs will quit
— Emma Taylor (@ArmyVet590) July 26, 2021
my body my choice right??
Overall, vaccination will be strictly required except for medical or religious reasons. The policy will be in place for staff to stay up-to-date with vaccinations, and it appears the COVID-19 vaccinations will be treated as annual flu shots.
To stay updated with the ongoing pandemic, please visit coronavirus.gov and follow the CDC’s official Twitter account.
