A number of conservative governors across the U.S. are vowing to fight President Joe Biden’s newly announced vaccine mandate plan, which will require businesses with more than 100 employees to require inoculation or weekly COVID-19 testing. The move, predictably, was both applauded and condemned by Americans, political leaders and union heads. It will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties up to $14,000 per violation, an administration official said.
Republican governors criticized the mandate and many – including the governors of Arizona, Indiana, Georgia, Montana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas – vowed to fight it. The Republican National Committee said it would file a lawsuit against the Biden administration when the requirement goes into effect. Biden said Friday he was “disappointed” in the governors who said they plan to challenge his new requirements, adding that they have been “so cavalier” about the health of children and their communities. During a visit with first lady Jill Biden to Brookland Middle School in Washington, the president was asked what his message was to Republicans who decry the vaccine mandates as federal overreach and plan to challenge them in court. “Have at it,” Biden said following remarks in the school’s courtyard. “We’re playing for real here. This isn’t a game.” The plan, which Biden announced Thursday as part of a new six-part strategy, is expected to affect about 100 million workers in the country. “Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are still not vaccinated,” Biden said Thursday when announcing the new strategy. “This is not about freedom from personal choice, it’s about protecting yourself and those around you.”
?Today’s numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 40.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 655,800 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 223 million cases and 4.6 million deaths. More than 177.8 million Americans — 53.6% of the population — have been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Nick Note: Bottom line in a health emergency the authority to coerce vaccinations and quarantine exists. I believe you have a right to decide to vaccinate or not. I believe vaccines are working and the way to go. Of course their are risks… SO! People do not have the right to infect people. I believe that unaccounted people have to suck it up. If you are not vaccinated it will be a lonely life and rightly so. I deal with reality and reality is that not enough people have been vaccinated, The mutations over a short period of time will defeat the vaccines and what everyone always new and forgot to tell the public the vaccines wear off after 5 to 6 months. Oh yes unless you are using a officiated ULPA filter in a proper sealing mask you are very vulnerable. It called the N95 mask because its 95% effective AT BEST! See to me Job! in a pandemic is to survive… not make a political statement!