To ensure compliance with an applicable nationwide preliminary injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, DHS will take no action at this time to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. DHS plans, however, to continue to collect and use employee vaccination status information for purposes of determining applicability of other safety protocols, such as testing, masking, and travel. Employees who have not already completed the VSS may provide their vaccine status information for these purposes. Employees who have not provided vaccine status information and proof of vaccination will be treated as unvaccinated for purposes of COVID-19 safety protocols.
COVID-19 Vaccination for DHS Employees
On September 9, 2021, President Biden issued 
Executive Order 14043 Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees to promote the health and safety of the Federal workforce and the efficiency of the civil service.
As a DHS federal employee, you must be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021, unless you have received or have requested an exemption for religious or medical reasons. All DHS federal employees, including those who seek an exemption from the vaccination requirement for religious or medical reasons, must provide their vaccination status, upload proof of vaccination and certify the truthfulness of your vaccination status and proof.
Read Path out of the Pandemic for more information on President Biden’s COVID-19 action plan.
View more information about vaccines.
DHS continues to pay close attention to the evolving COVID-19 situation in order to protect our nation, our workforce, and your families. The Department is working very closely with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other federal agencies, public health officials, and all Components to implement public health control measures related to travelers from the affected regions and to implement appropriate workforce health and safety measures for the DHS workforce. We will provide additional information and resources as it becomes available.
If you have specific questions regarding your personal health conditions and the vaccine, we ask that you speak with your personal healthcare provider for more guidance.
To be considered “fully vaccinated” an employee must have their second Moderna or Pfizer vaccination, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccination, 14 days prior to November 22, 2021. The below table provides the "no later than" dates federal employees must receive their vaccinations in order to meet the mandated deadline. The timing between your first and second shots depends on which vaccine you received.
- Johnson & Johnson: One Shot
- Pfizer: 3 weeks (or 21 days)
- Moderna: 4 weeks (or 28 days)
| Johnson & Johnson | Moderna | Pfizer-BioNTech | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Shot | November 8, 2021 | October 11, 2021 | October 18, 2021 |
| Second Shot | N/A | November 8, 2021 | November 8, 2021 |
| Fully Vaccinated | November 22, 2021 | November 22, 2021 | November 22, 2021 |
- How to find a COVID-19 vaccine
- Benefits of getting vaccinated
- Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines
- Different COVID-19 Vaccines
- Myths and facts about COVID-19 vaccines
- Ensuring COVID-19 Vaccines Work
- COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness
- COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens
- Vaccination considerations for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- What you can do if you are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19
- COVID-19 Quick Reference Guide
- COVID-19 Data Tracker (CDC)
- Everyday Precautions to Keep COVID-19 Out of Your Home
- Proper Hand Washing Steps
- How to Disinfect your Workspace
- Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
- COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding (CDC)
- Guide to Masks (CDC)
- Actions You Can Take to Prevent the Spread of Illness (CDC)
- Travelers' Health (CDC)
- COVID-19 by County (CDC)
- Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
- Activity Risk Scale (Texas Medical Association)
- Coping with Stress (CDC)
- Paid Sick Leave and Family Leave Rights and PDF (DOL)
- Workplace Protections and Reasonable Accommodations (EEOC)
- Creating a Safer Federal Workforce: A Response to COVID-19 (USA.gov)
- Contact Information for State and Local Public Health Departments (USA.gov)
- COVID-19 Update: FDA Authorizes Additional Vaccine Dose for Certain Immunocompromised Individuals (FDA)
- COVID-19 Resources for Veterans (VA)
Everyday preventive measures that reduce the spread of germs also help reduce the risk of respiratory infections like COVID-19:
- Avoid close contact with people suffering from respiratory infections.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after direct contact with ill people or their belongings.
- Avoid direct contact and handling of farm or wild animals.
- If you have symptoms of respiratory infection, stay home and practice cough etiquette. Maintain distance from others, cover your coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues, or cough and sneeze into your elbow. Wash your hands after you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid unnecessary travel to known affected areas, if possible.