The VA will be the first federal agency to require its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19

Sign up for our daily briefing

Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what’s new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.

Catch up on the day’s biggest business stories

Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter

Stay on top of the latest market trends

Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.

Sports news worthy of your time

Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.

Tech news worthy of your time

Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.

Get the inside stories

Get an insider’s guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.

Axios on your phone

Get breaking news and scoops on the go with the Axios app.

Download for free.

Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday

Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday

Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?

Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver

Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?

Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines

Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?

Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities

Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?

Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay

Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?

Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte

Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas

Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters

A medical doctor gives the thumbs-up sign to a COVID-19 patient who is no longer using a respirator at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New York City. Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

The Department of Veterans Affairs said Monday it would require its frontline health care workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus within the next two months, the New York Times reports.

Why it matters: The VA is the first federal agency to mandate that employees receive the vaccine. The decision comes as cases of the Delta variant in the U.S. have increased dramatically.

1. Beginning on Wednesday, workers the agency defines as the “most patient-facing,” such as doctors, nurses and dentists, will have eight weeks to get fully vaccinated at risk of penalty or removal.

2. The White House has been informed of the VA’s vaccine mandate, per the Times.

3. Nearly 70% of workers in the department’s health care centers are fully vaccinated so far.

What they’re saying: “I am doing this because it’s the best way to keep our veterans safe, full stop,” Denis McDonough, the secretary of veterans affairs, told the Times.

1. “I don’t know what to expect here,” he added. “What I know is, basically, this is the most important step for us to take in terms of enhancing veteran patient safety.”

Read More