Biden issues EO on vaccine mandates

WASHINGTON, DC — On Sept. 9, President Joe Biden issued an executive order requiring vaccines for what could total up to 100 million workers, according to the Associated Press. 

“It is the policy of my administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), including the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures,” the order read. “The Delta variant, currently the predominant variant of the virus in the United States, is highly contagious and has led to a rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations.”

The order went on to note that the Pfizer vaccine (also known as Comirnaty) had received approval from the Food and Drug Administration and that two others, the Modern and Jansen vaccines, had been authorized for emergency use by the FDA. 

The order requires vaccinations under the following circumstances: 
• Private employers with a minimum of 100 employees must require their workers be vaccinated or tested weekly and provide time off for vaccination. 
• All federal employees must be vaccinated, with limited exceptions.
• Hospitals, clinics and other facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid payments are required to get vaccinated, as well as employees of Head Start early childhood education. 

The President urged governors to require vaccination for school-district employees. He also encouraged stadiums, concern  halls and other large venues to require proof of vaccination of negative Covid test.

Currently the U.S. is experiencing about 300% more new Covid-19 infections daily, according to the Associated Press, as well as over double the number of hospitalizations compared to the same time last year.