Maryland residents get their second dose of Moderna coronavirus vaccine from nurses at Cameron Grove Community Center in Bowie on March 25, 2021.
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden will announce Thursday evening a new requirement that federal employees receive the coronavirus vaccination, according to NBC News.
This executive order will also apply to contractors who work with the U.S. government. It will have an impact on 2.1 million employees.
According to the person speaking on condition of anonymity the president will announce the decision during his address at 5 p.m. ET.
Biden had earlier this year ordered federal employees to show their coronavirus vaccination status and to follow a stringent safety protocol.
Thursday's order will no longer allow for rigorous testing. This comes at a time when the United States is struggling to contain the highly contagious Delta variant.
This is an American tragedy. Biden stated that people are dying and will die in an American tragedy during a White House speech in July.
"This isn't about red states or blue states. He said that it was literally about life or death. "With freedom comes responsibility. The decision to not get vaccinated can have a significant impact on someone else.
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced in July that it would require all health-care workers to be immunized. This made it the first federal agency to do so.
Denis McDonough, Veteran Affairs Secretary, described the new measure to be "the best way for Veterans to stay safe."
One month later, Pfizer and BioNTech received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the Covid-19 vaccine. This was the first U.S.-based vaccine to be awarded this coveted title.
Comirnaty will market the mRNA vaccine under an FDA Emergency Use Authorization.
It was expected that the FDA's approval would give more schools, businesses, and universities in the country greater confidence when it comes to adopting vaccine mandates.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 214,000,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine were administered. Pfizer's 2-dose vaccine is fully vaccinated in approximately 96 million Americans.
62% of the U.S. populace have received at least one dose Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, while 53% of the population is fully vaccinated. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are still being administered by emergency authorizations.
The Pentagon revised its health guidance after the FDA approved Pfizer. All U.S. service personnel and contractors must receive the coronavirus vaccination.
This report was contributed by Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, New York.
This is still a developing story. Keep checking back for more updates.
