UVA Health to Require COVID-19 Vaccination for Employees, Effective Nov. 1

With COVID-19 cases surging across the commonwealth and the country, UVA Health will require all its employees to be vaccinated against the virus by Nov. 1.

The new policy will protect UVA Health’s patients, guests and team members. UVA Health already has required all new hires to be vaccinated.

“These vaccines will save lives, prevent unnecessary sickness and help us ensure we have the capacity to provide the best care possible, not just for patients with COVID-19, but for all patients,” Dr. K. Craig Kent, UVA’s executive vice president for health affairs, said. “It is part of our duty as a leading academic medical center to protect the health of our patients, guests, team members and community.”

All employees must receive their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Oct. 18. Anyone who remains unvaccinated on Nov. 1 will face disciplinary action, including the possibility of termination.

UVA Health will consider requests for exemptions to the vaccine policy for medical and religious reasons and continues to work to answer any questions team members may have about the vaccines.

UVA Health has some of the world’s foremost infectious disease experts and epidemiologists, and their expertise continues to guide UVA Health’s strong response to COVID-19, as do the recommendations from major public health and professional organizations – including the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and many others – regarding the requirement of health care workers to get vaccinated.