The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first federal Cabinet department that will mandate its employees be vaccinated, a requirement it will implement for anyone who is part of the VA’s extensive medical system, the New York Times reports.
The order will apply to 115,000 VA employees providing direct medical care to patients, including doctors, dentists, registered nurses, physician assistant and some specialists. Those impacted will have eight weeks to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated. I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop,” Denis McDonough, the secretary of veterans affairs, said in a telephone interview on Monday. The VA is the largest single health care provider in the United States, with more than 150 medical centers around the nation and in the territories.