President Joe Biden will speak with the nation on Thursday at 5 p.m. private sector and for the nation’s schools.
A source familiar with the president’s plans told ABC News that Biden will announce an executive order that “will require vaccination of all workers in the federal executive branch,” as well as a second order that will order that rule apply to employees as well. of contractors working with the federal government.
As part of this effort, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health Service and the National Institutes of Health will complete the implementation of their previously announced vaccination requirements covering 2.5 millions of people, the source said.
This is an escalation of the president’s action in July calling on federal workers to prove their vaccination status and undergo mitigation efforts if they are not vaccinated, such as wearing masks and regular testing.
Speaking Wednesday at her daily session, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Biden “would outline the next phase of the fight against the virus and its appearance, including measures to work with the public and private sector “.
She said “it would follow the steps we have already announced, the steps we have taken over the last few months, which require more vaccinations, drive important testing measures and more, making it easier for children to go to school. “all at a time when the American people are listening. Once again, there will be six steps we will work to implement in the coming months.”
According to a White House official, the president’s plan will include six areas of attention: vaccinating the unvaccinated; promote the protection of vaccinated people; keeping schools open safely; increase testing and require masking; protect the recovery of the economy; and improve care for people with COVID-19.
Psaki confirmed that there will be new components as part of the president’s announcement, but would not go far beyond general comments about access proof, warrants and security that children are protected from the highly transmissible virus when they return. at school and Americans return from summer vacation.
Psaki said plans were still being finalized as Biden met Wednesday afternoon with his response team at COVID-19.
“Will any of these new steps influence the day-to-day lives of the average American? Should we expect new mitigation recommendations, as an example?” asked a journalist.
“It depends on whether you get vaccinated or not,” Psaki replied, but gave no further details.
He highlighted the efforts already made by the administration to try to control the delta variant.
“We have been at war with the delta variant for the past two months. And just to remind you of some of the steps we have announced, we have announced new government mandates on DOD, our military forces, NIH, others: the AV, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, people who work at the forefront of health – in health – in health functions in this department.We have also encouraged additional mandates, whether it is at home, in health centers, residences for seniors and others, ”Psaki said.
“And we have also raised and encouraged the mandates of the private sector, and we have encouraged it, because we have seen that they have been effective. We have also deployed more than 700 surge response teams across the country and we are working closely, again, with the private sector to establish more vaccination requirements, “he continued.
“We have more work to do and we are still at war with the virus and the delta variant,” he added. “So we’re going to dig deeper into this work. And he’s talking about it now, because this issue, of course, is at the forefront of the United States across the country. People are going back to schools. Jobs are either reopening. -if, with some brick or mortar work, or some people have just returned to work after spending time with family or loved ones during the summer. “
But in addition to ordering the vaccination of 2.1 million federal employees and 1.3 million members of the nation’s active service, Biden has limited legal authority to institute a broad vaccination mandate for most people. Americans.
About 75 percent of the U.S. adult population has received at least one dose of vaccine and 64.4 percent of the U.S. adult population is fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Tuesday, Psaki seemed to suggest that Biden would ask the private sector to institute more vaccination warrants. Large corporations such as Facebook, Google and Citigroup have already announced vaccination requirements.
“I will remember that we have seen that there are several ways in which we have increased vaccinations across the country or that vaccinations have increased, I should say. One of them is that private sector companies are forcing their employees to be vaccinated. in different capacities “Or certain mandated school districts,” Psaki said.
Biden previewed some of what he had planned to say when he spoke about the August figures, which were much lower than expected.
“There is no doubt that the delta variant is why today’s work report is not stronger. I know people were looking for a higher number and waiting. But next week I will outline the next steps they will take … – we will have to fight the delta variant, to address some of these fears and concerns, ”Biden said on Friday.
A recent ABC News / Washington Post survey showed Americans in August that they appreciated Biden’s handling of the pandemic, with approval rating for its handling or response dropped 10 points from June, to 52%.
Biden’s statements are scheduled for just 11 days before the administration begins widely deploying Pfizer reinforcement photos on Sept. 20, a process shrouded in confusion, as some public health experts say the data has not yet been released. they support the need for reinforcements.