Newport News shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls reverses their position on the vaccine mandate and claims they misinterpreted the federal requirement. After further consultations with the federal government, the shipbuilder now says the vaccine mandate doesn't apply.  "This recent information is different from what we understood to be the government's and the Navy's intent," the company said.

Huntington Ingalls previously said all of its 25,000 workers would need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a "condition of continued employment" due to the vaccine mandate for federal workers and contractors. [Media Link] However, Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin said in a Facebook update Thursday that Huntington Ingalls clarified their Navy contracts "don't include a vaccine mandate at this time."