The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) said its more than 100,000 health care personnel would have to get Covid-19 shots, becoming the first federal agency to institute a mandate as California and New York City announced new vaccine requirements affecting workers.
US President Joe Biden's administration had previously been reluctant to support such measures, but is now confronted with a Delta variant-driven surge that is sweeping mainly through America's tens of millions of unvaccinated, AFP reports.
“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,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough in a news release.
