When vaccines initially became available a few months ago, there was hope that the end of the pandemic was near. Unfortunately, insufficient vaccination rates, particularly in the Midwest and southern United States, have led to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, exacerbated by the delta variant. President Joe Biden addressed the issue during a White House briefing, announcing new measures and incentives to combat the ongoing crisis.
President Biden expressed his concern, stating, “This is an American tragedy. People are needlessly losing their lives. If you’re unvaccinated, there’s still a chance to protect yourself.” He highlighted stories of unvaccinated individuals in hospitals regretting their decision, but by then, it was too late to receive the vaccine.
One of the actions taken is the mandate for all federal government employees at the White House to disclose their vaccination status. Those who are unvaccinated will be required to wear masks, maintain physical distance, undergo regular testing, and face travel restrictions.
The Delta variant is spreading rapidly, but we are well-prepared. Vaccines are highly effective, and there are an ample supply for everyone.
Get vaccinated today: https://t.co/4MYpWqXVVo
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 30, 2021
To encourage vaccination among hesitant Americans, President Biden proposed new incentives like paid time off, cash bonuses, and support for businesses providing time off for vaccination. He acknowledged that offering incentives might seem unfair to those already vaccinated but stressed the importance of such measures in overcoming the virus collectively.
(function() {
var loaded = false;
var loadFB = function() {
if (loaded) return;
loaded = true;
(function (d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s);
js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.0”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
};
setTimeout(loadFB, 0);
document.body.addEventListener(‘bimberLoadFbSdk’, loadFB);
})();