The president will also direct the Defense Department to study how and when to require members of the military to get the shots.
President Biden on Thursday will formally announce that all civilian federal employees must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or be forced to submit to regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and restrictions on most travel, the White House said. The federal government employs more than 4 million Americans, all of whom will need to attest to being fully vaccinated in order to avoid wearing a mask on the job, regardless of where in the country they work, and comply with screening tests once or twice a week. The president was also set to direct the Defense Department to study how and when to add the coronavirus vaccine to the list of required vaccinations for all members of the military. The announcement marked the first time he has suggested that a mandate could come for active-duty members of the military before any of the three federally authorized vaccines receives full approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Mr. Biden was set to announce the new mandates at a speech in the East Room, part of an attempt to reset expectations on the health scourge that just weeks ago he thought he had under control. But now, the Delta variant is ripping through unvaccinated communities, threatening to undo the progress to stop the spread of the coronavirus made by the Biden administration in its first six months. Recent research has shown fully vaccinated people are protected against the worst outcomes of Covid-19, including those involving the Delta variant. In response, the administration is stepping up its efforts to convince unvaccinated Americans to get their shots. Mr. Biden on Thursday will call on states, territories and local governments to pay $100 to Americans who remain unvaccinated to get their shots.
