Biden announces COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal workers and large employers

President Biden announces a comprehensive COVID-19 vaccine mandate requiring all federal executive branch workers and federal contractors to be vaccinated, with limited exemptions for medical or religious reasons. The mandate also requires companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or test weekly for COVID-19. The policy affects approximately 100 million workers, representing two-thirds of the U.S. workforce. Biden frames the mandate as a patriotic duty to end the pandemic and protect public health.