Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In August, former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced state workers would be required to show proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 or be tested once a week.

The policy impacted approximately 122,000 state employees.

That mandate diminished on day one of Gov. Glenn Youngkin taking office on Jan. 16 when he issued an executive directive that prohibits state agencies — including colleges and universities — from requiring coronavirus vaccines as a condition of employment.

“We will continue to ensure that every Virginian has access to the information necessary to make an informed decision about the COVID-19 vaccination and ensure all who desire a vaccination can obtain one,” Youngkin said. “However, the requirement of state employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and disclose their vaccination status or engage in mandatory testing is harmful to their individual freedoms and personal privacy.”

Since Gov. Youngkin’s directive, both The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech announced that they would no longer require employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

As of press time on Tuesday, questions to Longwood University’s stance on its vaccination policy had not been answered.