Get Vaxxed or Else: Joe Biden Prepares Stricter Vaccine and Mask Mandates

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 08: U.S. President Joe Biden waits to speak on workers rights a
Kevin Dietsch/Getty

President Joe Biden will sign an executive order requiring all federal government employees and contractors to get vaccinated — with no options for the unvaccinated.

CNN reports Biden will order all federal workers to get vaccinated and end the loophole allowing unvaccinated employees to test frequently and maintain social distancing. He will also order contractors doing business with the federal government to do the same.

Biden is expected to announce his new mandate in a speech on Thursday evening, urging all private businesses to follow his lead.

Americans remain slightly in favor of employers leveling vaccine mandates, according to recent polling.

A recent Washington Post/ABC poll showed that 52 percent supported businesses requiring employees coming into work to be vaccinated while 45 percent did not support it.

Unvaccinated Americans, however, are more stubborn.

Seventy-two percent of the unvaccinated said they would rather quit their job than get the vaccine if their company enacted a vaccine mandate.

The stiffer vaccine mandate is one of Biden’s “six-pronged” speech on the coronavirus pandemic scheduled for Thursday as a growing number of Americans grade him poorly on handling the pandemic.

U.S. President Joe Biden hugs ALF-CIO President Liz Shuler during an event on workers rights and labor unions in the East Room at the White House on September 08, 2021 in Washington, DC,  ahead of Thurday’s anticipated vaccine announcements. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The president’s support for handling the pandemic has fallen 12 points since April, according to the Washington Post/ABC poll.

Biden will offer additional proposals to get more Americans vaccinated, protect already vaccinated individuals while keeping schools open. Other items include increasing testing availabilities, more mask mandates, and improving care for people contracting the virus.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki previewed Biden’s new proposals during the daily briefing on Wednesday.

When asked if there would be more mitigation and restorative steps that would impact American day-to-day life, she replied, “It depends on if you’re vaccinated or not.”

 

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