Inova Health System is requiring all employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, making the Falls Church-based nonprofit the latest in the region to employ such a mandate.

Inova, which counts 18,000 employees across the organization, notified staff last week of the requirement, which goes into effect Sept. 1. At that point, all Inova team members, including part-time workers and contractors, will be required to be immunized against the virus in order to work on any of its campuses.

“We believe this is a necessary step in prioritizing team member and patient safety, which align with our core values,” an Inova spokeswoman said in an email to the Washington Business Journal. “We are committed to answering questions and educating team members about the safety, efficacy and benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine.”

Inova’s decision comes a couple of weeks after several hospitals and health systems across the Potomac River implemented similar rules for staff — following calls for the requirement…