NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Newport News Shipbuilding will no longer require fully vaccinated employees to wear masks.
According to NNS President Jennifer Boykin, fully vaccinated employees can still wear masks if they choose to. Unvaccinated employees and those still going through the vaccination process are required to wear masks, and are subject to discipline up to and including termination if found to be unvaccinated and not wearing a mask.
Boykin said unvaccinated people can only remove their masks when social distancing is available, when requested by security for identity verification, when wearing NNS-approved respirators to work and when performing hot work.
Huntington Ingalls Industries is requiring all employees who received the vaccine to self-report their vaccination status here. Boykin said that any employees who received their COVID-19 vaccine at Newport News Shipbuilding through QuadMed do not need to self-report.
Boykin stressed that the COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory for employees but is highly encouraged. Employees can receive the vaccine through the NNS Vaccination Site at the Old Apprentice School gym through May 28, and at the HII Family Health Center after that.
"Your perseverance and flexibility have been evident during this pandemic and have long been strengths of our workforce," Boykin said. "Your patience and continued dedication is appreciated as we continue to navigate away from COVID-19."
