After urging the American population to get vaccinated with checks and encouragement, Joe Biden decided to toughen up.
He denounced, Thursday, September 9, "an identified minority of Americans" supported by "an identified minority of politicians" who prevent the United States from "turning the page" of Covid-19 by refusing to be vaccinated.
"Nearly 80 million Americans have still not been vaccinated and, to make matters better, elected officials are actively working to undermine the fight against Covid-19", which is "unacceptable", he said. asserted while presenting to the White House.
These 80 million represent 25% of the population "who can cause a lot of damage, and who do," said Biden, assuring that he wanted the United States "to return to a normal life".
Mandatory vaccination for federal employees
Hardening the tone but also the measures, he presented a vast plan to relaunch the vaccination campaign.
For the private sector, the Ministry of Labor will introduce the obligation to be vaccinated or to perform a weekly screening test for employees of companies with more than 100 employees, or more than 80 million people.
The American president also signed an executive order requiring the approximately four million federal employees to be vaccinated, without the possibility now of escaping the syringe by being tested regularly.
Employees of subcontractors working with federal agencies are also concerned.
Federal officials will have 75 days to be fully vaccinated, or face disciplinary action, presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki said at a press conference, stressing that there would be "limited exceptions" due to disability or religious objections.
The White House has already imposed vaccination on the military and staff of nursing homes receiving federal subsidies.
Federal employees have so far had the choice of getting vaccinated or undergoing regular testing and various restrictive measures.
"A pivotal period" in the fight against Covid-19
Joe Biden's speech comes against a backdrop of an epidemic resurgence since the beginning of the summer because of the Delta variant while a part of Americans remaining reluctant or opposed to being vaccinated.
The United States, where 53.3% of the population is fully vaccinated according to health authorities, is the country with the most deaths from the novel coronavirus in the world, with more than 653,000 deaths.
Even if the vaccination campaign was relaunched in August, the country is experiencing "a pivotal period", said the president before blowing "get vaccinated" in closing his speech.
A national recall campaign for Covid-19 vaccines is also due to start from September 20.
With AFP
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