As expected, President Joe Biden will seek an emergency rule requiring employers of 100 or more to mandate vaccinations or regular Covid-19 tests.
The Biden-Harris Administration plan was unveiled late Thursday afternoon.
The plan released by the White House pointed to the success of mandatory vaccination programs at Tyson Foods and United Airlines.
As expected, Biden called for all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated with no testing alternative. Also, vaccinations will be required for employees at hospitals and other sites that receive Medicare or Medicaid funds
Biden called on large entertainment venues to require proof of vaccination or testing as a requirement for entry and time off for workers getting shots or experiencing side effects from the vaccine. The upcoming Firefly Festival will require vaccinations.
The administration is dealing with a surge in Covid-19 cases, driven by the faster-spreading Delta variant and a sizable percentage of the population reluctant or unwilling to be vaccinated.
Biden’s plan picked up support from the Business Roundtable, a group comprised of the nation’s largest corporations.
“Business Roundtable welcomes the Biden Administration’s continued vigilance in the fight against Covid. America’s business leaders know how critical vaccination and testing are in defeating the pandemic, which is why so many have invested resources in encouraging and incentivizing their customers and employees to get vaccinated, including providing paid time off. Over the past several weeks many companies have decided to implement a vaccine mandate for some or all of their employees, a decision we applaud.”
A half a dozen Republican governors spoke out against the business mandates and vowed to wage court fight.
Delaware has seen new daily cases increase from fewer than 50 earlier in the summer to 400.
Resistance to vaccination has also turned into a political issue, with Democrats more likely to be vaccinated than Republicans.
Delaware Gov. John Carney did not go as far as the president but ordered state employees to get vaccines or undergo regular testing. Carney cited long-running staff shortages in areas such as corrections as a reason to continue the testing option.
ChristianaCare, the state’s largest private employer, was the target of protests when it mandated vaccinations.
