The president is attempting to walk a fine line between getting more Americans to take the shot and avoiding pushback. President Joe Biden speaks from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021, on the COVID-19 response and vaccination program. President Biden this week ramped up his push for COVID-19 vaccine requirements while indicating he will continue to find ways to get Americans to take the shot.
And with vaccination rates on the rise, his efforts might be working. "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, which it is expected to do as soon as next month. Biden aims to set an example for the private industry and prompt more vaccine requirements from employers. And it may be working. "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."
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