By Alexander Wilson-
President Biden is increasing his push for COVID-19 vaccine requirements, after stating his plans to proactively continue to find ways to get Americans to take the shot. And with vaccination rates on the rise, his efforts might be working.
The U.S president has always made his intentions of expanding the vaccine roll out in America clear, after the high rates of infections and hospitalizations in America clear.
“While I’m mindful that my authority at the federal level is limited, I’m going to continue to look for ways to keep people safe and increase vaccination rates,” Biden said on Thursday after announcing that nursing home staff must be inoculated against COVID-19 for their facilities to continue to receive Medicare and Medicaid funding.
It’s the president’s latest push for vaccine requirements while he walks a fine line between mandating more people to get the shot and avoiding pushback. Three weeks ago, he told millions of federal workers that they will have to attest to their vaccination against the coronavirus or undergo several mitigation measures, including masking and regular testing.
He also directed the Defense Department to look into requiring vaccines for the military.
Biden said he wants to ensure more vaccine requirements from employers.
“I’m pleased to see the private sector stepping up as well,” Biden said. “In the last week, AT&T, Amtrak, McDonald’s – they all announced vaccine requirements.”
The U.S president is determined to make vaccine requirements necessary in the workplace, without making it mandatory for the entire population.
Large swaths of the American public are against mandatory vaccinations, but there are more members of the populace who want to see vaccination spread wider across the country to make them feel safer.
Some governors, like the governor of Florida and Texas, have repeatedly criticized Biden’s orders, and doubled down on their own efforts to ban vaccine and mask mandates in their states.
Meanwhile, vaccination rates have been steadily increasing since early July. The seven-day average of new doses administered is the highest it has been since late June at over 655,000.
COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations are on the rise, with some states reporting few to zero available intensive care unit beds.