COVID Requirements and Guidelines for UVA New Hires

All newly hired UVA Health Tier 1 team members who follow policy OCH-002, including clinicians, faculty and staff who will be working at the Medical Center, UVA Physicians Group, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Health System Library, are required to be fully vaccinated* against COVID-19 (some exceptions apply) in order to be eligible for hire. 

• 'Tier 1' refers to team members whose job-related activities require them to be present in Health System Facilities at any time in a given calendar year. 

*For Tier 1 team members, ‘fully vaccinated’ is defined as having completed a 2-dose mRNA series, a 1-dose J&J vaccine, or an approved course of a WHO-recognized COVID vaccine.

Team members who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer be required to complete weekly prevalence testing at this time. There is a possibility that prevalence testing will be reinstated in the future if warranted by changes in COVID-19 case numbers and other factors. As a reminder, prevalence testing is separate from diagnostic testing, which is performed on individuals who have symptoms, have possibly been exposed to COVID-19, or otherwise have been directed to get tested. Read about team member diagnostic testing options.

For full details about boosters, including FAQs, visit the UVA COVID-19 Booster Information webpage.

All newly hired UVA Health Tier 2 team members are strongly encouraged, but not required, to complete primary vaccination and to submit documentation of completed primary vaccination.

• 'Tier 2' refers to team members whose job-related activities do not require them to be present in Health System Facilities at any time in a given calendar year.

All team members (including Tier 1 and Tier 2) are strongly encouraged, but not required, to receive a booster dose of vaccine six (6) months after completing primary vaccination with Pfizer or Moderna vaccine OR two months after receiving J&J vaccination dose and such other booster or additional doses as may be recommended by the CDC.

For full details about boosters, including FAQs, visit the UVA COVID-19 Booster Requirement webpage.

You may apply for a medical or religious exemption from vaccination. However, some medical and safety sensitive positions require vaccination and are not eligible for an exemption. If you would like to apply for a medical or religious exemption, please complete this request form. 

If you will be working on Grounds at least on occasion, you will be required to conduct weekly COVID-19 prevalence testing and subject to mandatory masking requirements - even if you were granted a medical or religious exemption from vaccination. See prevalence testing information in the next FAQ. 

How to apply for an exemption will be discussed during your orientation. 

Team members who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer be required to complete weekly prevalence testing at this time. There is a possibility that prevalence testing will be reinstated in the future if warranted by changes in COVID-19 case numbers and other factors. As a reminder, prevalence testing is separate from diagnostic testing, which is performed on individuals who have symptoms, have possibly been exposed to COVID-19, or otherwise have been directed to get tested. Read about team member diagnostic testing options.

New UVA Health employees who have received their user ID may schedule a vaccination appointment at a UVA location in VaxTrax.

There are also several ways to find vaccine providers near you, including these methods published by the CDC.

Newly hired team members can meet the requirements of the OCH-002 policy by:

• Providing proof of completed primary vaccination to Employee Health; or
• Scheduling and receiving their first primary vaccination dose, if eligible, at their pre-employment Employee Health visit or at any independent or UVA Health vaccination clinic.
• Proof of vaccination shall consist of a scanned image or photo of a team member’s immunization records, such as a CDC card or official medical record, submitted with UVA computing ID, to: covidvax@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu. Any other forms of documentation of vaccination status will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Team members who have lost their CDC card should contact their vaccination site for a replacement.
  • Employee Health shall validate and update the team member’s records in VaxTrax (Note: this data will be available to managers).

Please contact your UVA Recruiter if you have questions. 

You are not required, but it is strongly encouraged to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Please note that some medical and safety-sensitive positions require vaccination and are not eligible for exemption. If you are unsure which policy applies to your position, please contact your hiring manager.

There are several ways to find vaccine providers near you, including these methods published by the CDC.    

Reminder: All new employees must have received their first vaccination dose on or before their hire date and their second dose (if required) at the proper interval as defined by the CDC vaccine guidelines.

All Academic Division employees (including faculty and staff, wage and temp workers, part-time and full-time) who follow policy SEC-045: are strongly encouraged to receive  a COVID-19 booster, but it is not required.

Please contact your UVA Recruiter if you have questions.