Veterans Affairs Kept COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate in Place Without Evidence

One of the largest U.S. agencies doesn’t have any data to support keeping its mandate in place.

Doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in Washington in a file image. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reviewed no data when deciding in 2023 to keep its COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said on May 1, 2023, that the end of many other federal mandates “will not impact current policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs.”