LEXINGTON, Ky. — UK HealthCare announced Wednesday it will require a COVID-19 vaccination for all health care providers, staff, trainees, learners and those who work in its facilities.

The health care system said that employees will be "required to initiate a complete COVID-19 vaccination series" by Sept. 15. Exemptions are allowed for religious or medical reasons.

“This reinforces the importance of vaccination and, we hope, encourages more vaccination throughout the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Mark Newman, University of Kentucky executive vice president for health affairs. “Vaccination is the primary way to put the pandemic behind us and avoid the return of stringent public health measures.”

UK HealthCare is the latest in a string of hospitals across Kentucky and the country to mandate vaccinations for employees. Earlier this week, Baptist Health and Norton Healthcare announced they are requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. UofL Health in Louisville and Med Center Health in Bowling Green are also requiring employee vaccinations.

In a release, UK HealthCare noted that "COVID-19 cases in Kentucky are up more than 200% over the last 14 days causing hospitalizations to more than double with the great majority of those hospitalized being unvaccinated."

“Just as we have believed for years in vaccinations to slow the spread of influenza and its consequences for those who are medically compromised, we believe in COVID-19 vaccination as one crucial tangible step we can all take to provide a safe environment of care,” Newman said.