- Biden signed an executive order requiring all government employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
- Large firms will be mandated to provide paid time off for employees to be vaccinated.
- Officials expect that the new strategies will give them a better idea of how the pandemic will end.
The new vaccine requirements could apply to as many as 100 million Americans — close to two-thirds of the American workforce — and amount to President Joe Biden’s strongest push yet to require vaccines for much of the country, reports CNN.
“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” Biden said, his tone hardening toward Americans who continue to refuse vaccines despite ample evidence of their safety and full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for one — the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
Biden also signed an executive order requiring all government employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, with no option of being regularly tested. The new rules amount to the most dramatic steps to date to get more Americans vaccinated. Once cautious of vaccine mandates, the Biden administration is now wholly embracing them. The new rules come as the Delta Fever virus tears through communities across the U.S., causing upticks in hospitalizations and deaths.
Creating a massive impact
Large employers will be required to give their workers paid time off to get vaccinated. If businesses don’t comply, the government will “take enforcement actions,” including fines. Officials said limited exemptions would apply to workers claiming medical or religious reasons.
“Each employer will decide exactly what they want to do, but what we’re saying through the Department of Labor rule-making process is a minimum of testing once a week or full vaccination,” a senior administration official said. The White House has praised large corporations that compel employees to be vaccinated, saying that the federal government could serve as a model for other businesses in their own vaccine mandates.
“The expectation is if you want to work in the federal government or want to be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated,” press secretary Jen Psaki said, adding the number of unvaccinated federal workers was still being compiled.
Measures to tackle Delta
Officials claimed the Defense Manufacturing Act, which was used to push industries to make necessary supplies, will be invoked to speed up the production of fast tests, and the administration plans to send 25 million free tests to U.S. health facilities. President Joe Biden calls on entertainment venues to require proof of vaccination or negative tests for patrons seeking entry. The Transportation Safety Administration would double fines on passengers who refuse to wear masks on planes. Some retailers, like Amazon, Kroger, and Walmart, will sell the at-home tests at cost.
“If you break the rules, be prepared to pay — and by the way, show some respect,” he said, chastising recent incidents of “air rage” directed toward hard-working cabin crews.
Vaccinating the unvaccinated; protecting the vaccinated with booster vaccinations; keeping schools open; expanding testing and enforcing masks; protecting the economic recovery, and improving treatment for people with Covid-19 are the six pillars of Biden’s strategy.
Handling the crisis
Officials expect that the new approach will give them a better idea of how the pandemic will end. The White House observed that the President’s support ratings on Covid had dwindled and believes that part of the problem is the backward movement seen this summer when a surge of cases prompted a return to masks and continuous work from home.
According to a poll, 52 percent of Americans approve of President Joe Biden’s crisis handling. This is a 10-point decline from June’s rating. Despite this, more people approve of his handling of the issue than disapprove. Meanwhile, Biden’s overall approval has dropped into negative territory despite a messy exit from Afghanistan and the Delta variant’s drag on the economy. According to the President’s aides, Combating the pandemic is the single most crucial issue of his presidency and will define his political fate.
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Source: CNN
