The News London 365
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
Friday, July 1, 2022
London
+10°C
Privacy Policy
Copyright
Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
No Result
View All Result
The News London 365
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Biden Orders Tough New Vaccination Rules For Federal Workers

The News London 365 by The News London 365
July 30, 2021
in Politics
0
Biden Orders Tough New Vaccination Rules For Federal Workers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new pandemic requirements aimed at boosting vaccination rates for millions of federal workers and contractors as he lamented the “American tragedy” of rising-yet-preventable deaths among the unvaccinated.

Federal workers will be required to sign forms attesting they’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus or else comply with new rules on mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing and more. The strict new guidelines are aimed at increasing sluggish vaccination rates among the huge number of Americans who draw federal paychecks — and to set an example for private employers around the country.

“Right now, too many people are dying or watching someone they love die and say, ‘If I’d just got the vaccine,’” Biden said in a somber address from the East Room of the White House. “This is an American tragedy. People are dying who don’t have to die.”

However, pushback is certain to Biden’s action. It puts him squarely in the center of a fierce political debate surrounding the government’s ability to compel Americans to follow public health guidelines.

The federal government directly employs about 4 million people, but Biden’s action could affect many more when federal contractors are factored in. New York University professor of public service Paul Light estimates there are nearly 7 million more employees who could potentially be included, combining those who work for companies that contract with the government and those working under federal grants.

Biden, seemingly fed up with persistent vaccine resistance among many Americans, delivered a sharp rebuke to those who have yet to get shots, saying “they get sick and fill up our hospitals,” taking beds away from others who need them.

“If in fact you are unvaccinated, you present a problem to yourself, to your family and those with whom you work,” he said bluntly.”

At the same time, he expressed sympathy for people who have received their shots and are “frustrated with the consequences of the minority that fail to get vaccinated.” And he again emphasized that the fight against the virus is far from over, girding Americans to remain strong in the face of setbacks in the pandemic.

“I know this is hard to hear. I know it’s frustrating. I know it’s exhausting to think we’re still in this fight. I know we hoped this would be a simple straightforward line, without problems or new challenges. But that isn’t real life,” he said.

His comments came as some 60% of American adults have been fully vaccinated. He had set a July 4 goal to get at least one shot in 70% of adults, and is still not quite there. The latest figure is 69.3%. And there remains significant resistance from many Republicans and some unions to vaccine mandates for employers.

Reflecting an awareness of the political landmines surrounding mandates, administration officials emphasize that their plan does not require workers to receive the vaccine but aims to make life more difficult for those who are unvaccinated to encourage them to comply. Biden directed his team to take steps to apply similar requirements to all federal contractors.

He also directed the Defense Department to look into adding the COVID-19 shot to its list of required vaccinations for members of the military. Service members already are required to get as many as 17 vaccines, depending on where they are based around the world.

Over and over, the president repeated that the vast majority of those falling ill and dying in the new wave of the delta virus are unvaccinated, putting others at risk and endangering the nation’s fragile economic recovery and return to normalcy.

“It’s an American blessing that we have vaccines for each and every American. It’s such a shame to squander that blessing,” said Biden.

He praised the recent increase in Republican lawmakers urging those who are not vaccinated — many of whom, polling suggests, identify as conservatives — to get their shots. And seeking to push back against skepticism among some Republicans over the safety of the vaccine, he gave a nod to predecessor Donald Trump, noting that it was “developed and authorized under a Republican administration.”

“This is not about red states and blue states,” he said. “It’s literally about life and death, life and death.”

Biden renewed his calls for schools to fully open this fall, although children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine. And he said that public health officials do not yet believe Americans need a booster vaccine despite the highly contagious delta variant fueling the surge.

All contents © copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved

Tags: Joe
Previous Post

Easy Edamame Eecipes – olivemagazine

Next Post

NI singer Conleth Kane on new single remixed by 7th Heaven and released for Belfast Pride Week

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT NEWS

EU energy ministers hold emergency talks following Russia’s gas cuts

EU energy ministers hold emergency talks following Russia’s gas cuts

July 1, 2022
Dual-Guineas winner James Doyle back at Windsor

Dual-Guineas winner James Doyle back at Windsor

July 1, 2022
Why do people go to work when they’re sick? Experts explain

Why do people go to work when they’re sick? Experts explain

July 1, 2022
How to deal with change (and why you find it so hard)

How to deal with change (and why you find it so hard)

July 1, 2022
Doctors told me I was ‘just fat’ – my serious medical condition was missed

Doctors told me I was ‘just fat’ – my serious medical condition was missed

July 1, 2022
Labour’s Tom Watson on political plots, weight loss and living with ADHD

Labour’s Tom Watson on political plots, weight loss and living with ADHD

July 1, 2022

Categories

Breaking News Coronavirus Daily Devotionals Food Health and Science Lifestyle Politics Sport What's On

Recent News

EU energy ministers hold emergency talks following Russia’s gas cuts

EU energy ministers hold emergency talks following Russia’s gas cuts

July 1, 2022
The News London 365

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT