A sign of support for health care workers dealing with the COVID-19, pandemic adorns the entrance to INOVA Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia on April 7, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Another hospital system in the D.C. area is requiring its employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Inova Health System in Northern Virginia said it informed its 18,000 employees last week that they will have to be vaccinated by Sept. 1.
"We believe this a necessary step in prioritizing team member and patient safety, which align in our core values," a spokesperson for Inova said in a statement to News4. "We are committed to answering questions and educating team members about the safety, efficacy and benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine."
The mandate comes just a few weeks after nearly all D.C. hospitals and many in Maryland issued similar rules.
The Washington Business Journal was first to report the news of Inova's requirement.
