With coronavirus numbers increasing each day, President Joe Biden is aiming to gear up the vaccination process. By offering incentives up to $100 and giving out paid leaves to get their family members vaccinated, the administration is trying to bolster overall vaccination rates.
While Biden acknowledged that paying may be unfair to those already vaccinated, he insisted on trying it out as a potential way out. “If incentives help us beat this virus, I believe we should use them,” said the President on Thursday.
He also added that government employees and contractors will have to “attest to their vaccination status.” Moreover, anyone who hasn’t gotten both doses of the vaccine will be required to wear a mask and be socially distant at all times.
According to President Joe Biden, the current circumstances are no less than a matter of life and death. He acknowledged that freedom is an incredibly important concept today, but it should not be misused especially if it puts another life at risk. Thus, he encouraged the unvaccinated masses to get their doses at the earliest, as there are a million other lives concerned as well.
President Joe Biden has also instructed the Department of Defense to look into the ways of adding Covid-19 vaccination to the list of mandatory vaccinations for military members. He laid immense importance on the fact that these troops play a crucial role in places around the globe, where the disease is not only prevalent but also more contagious.
Additionally, he acknowledged the Department of Veteran Affairs’ efforts to mandate the vaccine for its personnel. “We must do everything possible to protect our veterans from getting covid when they come to get medical care, they so richly earned serving their country. We owe them,” said Biden.