WASHINGTON — More than 80 million employees of private businesses in the U.S. will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing as part of the Biden administration’s latest strategy for combating the still-surging coronavirus pandemic.
The upcoming vaccine rule for companies with at least 100 employees is one plank of an increasingly aggressive effort by President Joe Biden and his administration to ensure Americans are protected against the virus. Biden is set to roll out his six-pronged strategy Thursday afternoon.
In a briefing for reporters ahead of Biden’s speech, senior administration officials previewed those new tactics. They will include more vaccine requirements for other settings as well, including for the vast majority of federal employees and contractors, and the 17 million health care workers at facilities participating in the federal Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs.
