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This week’s R&D covers COVID-19 vaccine mandates. While 57% of the U.S. population has received one variation of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Biden administration believes that the number can be higher with employer mandates. States like California have issued a mandate for schoolchildren when vaccines become available for them, while other states like Kentucky and Texas are moving to pass legislation prohibiting vaccine mandates. Mandates are becoming problematic as pilots, healthcare workers, teachers, and others are refusing to get vaccinated, creating spillover effects in essential institutions.
President Biden pleaded with Americans to remain vigilant against the coronavirus on Thursday, rallying states and private businesses to support vaccine mandates in an effort to avoid a surge in cases. https://t.co/r2sVZIuXcM
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) October 14, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine mandates could threaten public health and safety due to a shortage of police officers, firefighters, and health care workers. https://t.co/eK5mdTb2aS
— Heritage Foundation (@Heritage) October 14, 2021
United firing 232 employees as US airlines grapple with vaccine mandates https://t.co/qTgMaOnO3p
— The Independent (@Independent) October 13, 2021
U.S. vaccine mandates are working, Biden says, but 66 million still don’t have shot https://t.co/rd39s1ZI4P pic.twitter.com/Q1cabt6mEE
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 14, 2021
Far more law enforcement officers in the U.S. have died from Covid-19 than from any other work-related cause in 2020 and 2021. Even so, police unions are fighting vaccine mandates. https://t.co/ehBuFSE6wz https://t.co/WSE44AGzFl
— NYT National News (@NYTNational) October 13, 2021
The newspaper’s editorial board called out the “foolish logic” of Republicans’ stance on COVID-19 vaccine mandates. https://t.co/qFtYbtBddR
— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) October 14, 2021
Texas-based Southwest Airlines and American Airlines said they will still require their workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, despite a new executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott banning all vaccine mandates in the state https://t.co/yJnBaGhJDM
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 13, 2021
Column: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s new order on vaccine mandates is beyond unhinged https://t.co/nO3KYCRkdi
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 12, 2021
State lawmakers in Texas are considering new legislation that would give workers legal grounds to refuse COVID-19 vaccine mandates for “reasons of conscience” — and to sue their employers over the mandates. https://t.co/hoYc7Z37JY
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) October 14, 2021
The number of Americans getting COVID-19 vaccines has steadily increased to a three-month high as seniors and people with medical conditions seek boosters, and government and employer mandates push more workers to take their first doses. https://t.co/tKizHISybi
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) October 8, 2021
Governments around the world are embracing Covid vaccine mandates, which restrict the unvaccinated’s access to many venues and activities, as they try to persuade people to get the shots.https://t.co/8FExFC0O2O
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 12, 2021