Biden sets vaccination requirement for federal workers – KIRO 7 News Seattle

0
494

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden set COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal government employees and local contractors on Thursday, stating that all employees who are not fully vaccinated must undergo regular tests and other measures to help contain the spread of the virus infection as officials see case numbers rise across the country.

>> Read more trending news

Update 4:42 pm EDT July 29: President Joe Biden said in remarks from the White House that he wanted to speak “about what is really going on” regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that “right now” no booster vaccination for the virus is required “for people who have been vaccinated.

The focus, he said, is on those who haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccination.

“It’s a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” said Biden.

“We need an open conversation now,” added Biden. “There’s a lot of fear and misinformation out there.”

Biden said more than 325 million vaccine doses have been given since January.

“We have the tools to prevent this new wave of COVID from closing our stores, schools and society as we saw last year,” said Biden. “I said from the start that we should be guided by science.”

The president on Thursday urged state and local government officials to do more to incentivize vaccination for Americans who remain reluctant to get their vaccinations and suggested that they offer $ 100 to encourage people to get vaccinated. Officials noted that other monetary incentives in exchange for vaccinations have proven successful.

“This is an American tragedy,” said Biden. “People die and will die who don’t have to die. If you’re out there unvaccinated, you don’t have to die. “

Update 4:10 p.m. ET July 29: White House officials said in a statement Thursday afternoon that federal employees and local contractors who refuse a full vaccination must undergo weekly or bi-weekly tests, wear a mask in the workplace, and physically distance to other employees. Business travel restrictions also apply to unvaccinated employees.

The policy applies to more than 4 million Americans in the US and abroad.

“These rules shouldn’t just apply to federal employees and local contractors,” White House officials said. “President Biden is instructing his team to take steps to apply similar standards to all federal contractors. The government will encourage employers across the private sector to follow this strong model. “

Biden is also instructing the Department of Defense to determine how and when to require the COVID-19 vaccine for military personnel. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he was uncomfortable prescribing the vaccine for military personnel until it was fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the New York Times.

The president on Thursday urged state and local government officials to do more to incentivize vaccination for Americans who remain reluctant to get their vaccinations and suggested that they offer $ 100 to encourage people to get vaccinated. Officials noted that other monetary incentives in exchange for vaccinations have proven successful.

Original report: Unidentified White House officials told the New York Times that government officials were still reviewing certain details of the policy on Wednesday. It is expected to be similar to what was announced in California and New York City in recent days, the Washington Post reported.

An unidentified White House official told the Post that the policy is not expected to include military personnel. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for most of its healthcare workers from September.

>> Relatives: Coronavirus: VA Requires Vaccinations for Medical Staff

Biden told reporters Tuesday that officials are considering making vaccination mandatory for all federal employees. He said in a statement released on the same day that he plans on Thursday to determine “the next steps in our efforts to get more Americans vaccinated.”

“Vaccinations are free, safe, and effective for every American,” he said. “By following science and doing our part through vaccination, America can defeat COVID.”

>> Relatives: Coronavirus: California requires state health workers to be vaccinated or tested regularly

Biden’s announcement is expected to come days after New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that city workers would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly tests starting September 13. California Governor Gavin Newsom also announced Tuesday that vaccinations will be mandatory for government officials and healthcare workers starting next month. Employees who fail to get vaccinated will have to undergo weekly or bi-weekly COVID-19 tests, the governor said.

>> Related: Coronavirus: NYC Government Officials Must Be Vaccinated or Tested Weekly

On Wednesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that state officials would have to get vaccinated or undergo weekly tests by Labor Day. He added that all health care workers in the state who work directly with patients must be vaccinated without exception.

The measures come as public health officials discover an increasing number of COVID-19 cases are being reported across the country, fueled by the highly communicable Delta variant. At the same time, the country’s vaccination rate has slowed significantly.

>> Related: Coronavirus: The Delta variant accounts for 83% of sequenced COVID-19 cases in the US, CDC director says

“The Delta variant shows its willingness every day to outsmart us and be an opportunist in areas where we have not shown an increased response,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Tuesday. “With the Delta variant, it is more urgent than ever to vaccinate more Americans. The highest incidence of cases and serious consequences occurs in places with low vaccination rates and in unvaccinated people. “

According to the latest data from the CDC, 69% of adults nationwide had received at least one dose of vaccine by Tuesday. About 49% of the total US population is fully vaccinated.

>> Related: How do you know if you have the Delta variant; what are the symptoms?

The US leads the world with the most coronavirus cases and the highest death toll. Since the pandemic began, officials have confirmed more than 34.6 million infections and reported more than 611,000 deaths nationwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.

More than 195.6 million COVID-19 cases have been reported worldwide, leading to 4.1 million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.