Biden says vaccine requirements 'should not be another issue that divides us'
Delivering remarks on Thursday, President Biden said that “mounting data” shows that COVID-19 vaccine requirements for businesses work. Biden also said those mandates “should not be another issue that divides us.”
Video Transcript
JOE BIDEN: We have to do more to vaccinate the 66 million unvaccinated people in America. It's essential. The vaccine requirements that we started rolling out in the summer are working. They're working. The Labor Department is going to soon be issuing an emergency rule for companies with 100 or more employees to implement vaccination requirements among their workforce.
Every day, we see more businesses implementing vaccination requirements. And the mounting data shows that they work. Businesses and organizations that are implementing requirements are seeing their vaccination rates rise by an average of 20% or more to well over 90%, the number of employees vaccinated. Let's be clear-- vaccination requirements should not be another issue that divides us.
That's why we continue to battle the misinformation that's out there. And companies and communities are stepping up as well to combat the misinformation. Southwest Airlines, the head of the pilots' union and its CEO dismissed critics who claim vaccination mandates contributed to flight disruptions. School board members, religious leaders, and doctors across the country are fighting misinformation and educating people about the importance of vaccines. All of these efforts are going to help us continue moving the dial to eliminate this disease.
