US COVID-19 Response: Federal Employees Must Be Vaccinated By Nov. 22

The Biden administration announced Monday that all federal workers must be vaccinated by Nov. 22.

The announcement comes after Biden unveiled a six-part plan to combat COVID-19 as the Delta variant continues to spread. The plan states all employers with 100 or more workers must either require the vaccine or subject them to weekly testing.

The plan will also require schools to stay open and that 300,000 educators get vaccinated as cases rise in children. Testing will also increase due to the Defense Production Act.

The Biden administration released a statement saying federal agencies should move "expeditiously so that their employees are fully vaccinated as quickly as possible and by no later than November 22."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current 7-day moving average of COVID-19 cases is 136,558, marking a 12.7% drop in the past 7-day average of 156,341.

The CDC reports 62.7% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of the vaccine with 53.4% being fully vaccinated.

The recent surge in hospitalizations has caused ICUs to overflow thus forcing Biden to take a stricter stance on vaccines and other precautions to mitigate the spread of the virus. According to the CDC, there are 2,842,496 total new admissions for COVID-19, with a 7-day average of 11,754.

Biden also signed an executive order requiring contractors “that do business with the federal government” to also get vaccinated.

By Sept. 24, the White House will provide new guidance on what contractors must do and who is covered.