US President Joe Biden said Thursday he will sign an executive order requiring all federal workers be vaccinated against COVID-19, with no option of being regularly tested to opt-out of the requirement. In July, Biden said federal workers had to get vaccinated or face regular COVID-19 testing and such other safety rules as mandatory face masks at workplaces and restrictions on official travel. In a televised speech at the White House, the president said he would also sign an executive order directing the same standard be extended to employees of contractors who do business with the federal government. "If we raise our vaccination rates, protect ourselves and others with masking and expanded testing and identify people who are infected, we can and we will turn the tide on COVID-19. It will take a lot of hard work, and it's going to take some time," he said. As part of the vaccination push, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health Service and the National Institute of Health "will complete implementation of their previously announced vaccination requirements that cover 2.5 million people," the source said. Just over 53% of Americans are fully vaccinated, including almost two-thirds of the adult population, according to CDC data. The disease has killed more than 651,000 Americans. The president lamented that despite the fact that for almost five months free vaccines have been able in 80,000 different locations, there are still nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot "And to make matters worse, there are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19," he regretted. The president announced a six-step plan to stop the spread of the Delta variant and increase vaccinations in the US. Biden's plan includes: requiring all employers with more than 100 employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly; and providing easy access to booster shots for all eligible Americans. It also includes getting students and school staff tested regularly; make at-home tests more affordable; streamlining the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness process; and increasing support for COVID-burdened hospitals. "The measures, these are going to take time to have full impact, but if we implement them, I believe and the scientists indicate that the months ahead we can reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans, decrease hospitalizations and deaths, and allow our children to go to school safely and keep our economy strong by keeping businesses open," Biden said. He warned that companies could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee if they don't comply. "My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We have made vaccinations free, safe and convenient. "The vaccine is FDA approved. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin and your refusal has cost all of us," Biden said. "So please, do the right thing." He also said that tonight the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. — Agencies
