Joe Biden says requiring all federal workers to get coronavirus vaccine is “under consideration” as the Delta variant surges.
Meanwhile, CNN has reported that the president will indeed announce a vaccine requirement for all federal employees and contractors, or submit to regular testing and mitigation requirements, according to a source the network said is close to the matter.
As he wrapped up a speech to members of the intelligence community at the Office of the Director of National intelligence today, Biden took a couple questions from reporters.
One journalist asked Biden whether he plans to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for federal employees.
“That’s under consideration right now, but if you’re not vaccinated, you’re not really as smart as I thought you were,” Biden said.
Some local and state leaders, including New York’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, and the California governor, Gavin Newsom, have already announced such mandates for their government employees.
The debate over sweeping vaccine mandates come as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their mask guidelines today, which Biden described “another step on our journey to defeating this virus”.
“I hope all Americans who live in the areas covered by the CDC guidance will follow it,” Biden said. “I certainly will when I travel to these areas.”
Biden once again encouraged all eligible Americans to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, saying that vaccines are “the most important protection we have against the Delta variant”.
Biden added that he will “lay out the next steps in our effort to get more Americans vaccinated” on Thursday.
“By following the science, and by doing our part by getting vaccinated, America can beat Covid,” he said.
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