Washington: The Joe Biden administration announced Thursday that all Health and Human Services (HSS) employees who may come in contact with patients must receive the Covid vaccine, adding to a growing list of federal workers who will be mandated to get inoculated.

According to the HSS Secretary, those subject to the new rule are numbered over 25,000, including "employees, contractors, trainees, and volunteers whose duties put them in contact or potential contact with patients at an HHS medical or clinical research facility". Also included in the over 25,000 officials are members of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who must also receive vaccinations in accordance with a Thursday announcement by US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

The Department of Veterans Affairs  will also expand its previous vaccine mandate for healthcare workers at Veterans Health Administration facilities on Friday, as per reports

The Biden administration has already mandated inoculations for health care and nursing home workers for the Veterans Affairs administration, while the Department of Defense said this week it would require members of the military to be vaccinated by mid-Sep. All federal workers will be required to either be vaccinated or undergo frequent testing.

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