Biden Signs an Executive Order Mandating COVID-19 Vaccine to Federal and Private Employees

President Joe Biden declared on Thursday the most extensive COVID-19 vaccine guidelines yet. This will make an impact on nearly 100 million US citizens. The new rules involve a vaccine directive for all federal workers and contractors. They also include the prerequisite that large companies should mandate regular testing or vaccines for their workers.

President Joe Biden announced a remarkable new COVID-19 vaccine measure that will affect almost 100 million US workers. (Photo: NBC News)

A number of Shelby County’s biggest employers already have imposed such vaccine directives. The White House did not indicate when the president’s new vaccine order for large companies will be implemented. However, employees will have adequate time to be administered inoculation.

Driven by Delta Variant

This is part of a new action plan to mitigate the surging COVID-19 cases incited by the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. According to Biden announcing from the White House, “While America is in much better shape than it was seven months ago when I took office, I need to tell you a second fact, we’re in the tough stretch and it could last for a while,” reported Times Now.

The call to receive vaccination includes health care workers, federal employees, and a number of private sector staff members.

It elicited lauding from doctors anticipating to contain the prevalence of COVID-19 and caution from experts who believe it was “too little, too late.” Also, it drew denouncement from Republicans who touted the move as “unconstitutional.”

Read Also: COVID-19 Variant ‘Mu’ Detected in 49 States: What to Know About the New Strain

‘Most Forceful’ Response

This is also touted as his most aggressive pandemic response. Biden at the White House condemned the tens of millions of Americans who have not yet opted for vaccination, notwithstanding months of incentives and accessibility. According to Biden, they have been patient and their patience is diminishing and the refusal of Americans has been costly, reported Press Herald.

Biden is signing an executive order to mandate inoculation for executive branch employees and contractors who engage in business with the administration with no choice to test out. That applies to many million more workers.

Two months ago, Biden prematurely announced the “independence” of the United States from COVID-19. Although over 208 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccines, the US is witnessing an estimated 300% further new COVID-19 infections daily. This is almost twice the number of fatalities compared to the same time in 2020 and around two-and-a-half times more hospitalizations.

Related Article: West Nile Virus: 1 Utahn Dies, At least 11 Infected