The Biden administration has worked aggressively to lower the number of unvaccinated Americans. His military and federal mandates and the cooperation of businesses have reduced the unvaccinated rate from 100 million to 60 million – but that’s not enough. His goals are to lower the rates further.
The new policy will cover approximately 85 million employees. The administration projects the vaccination mandate will prevent 250,000 new hospital admissions and save thousands of lives. There is some pushback from government officials, businesses, and private citizens that believe the measure is unnecessary.
Resistance from the most unlikely sources
In the past 1.5 years, COVID-19 has claimed 5 million lives, yet many still believe this crisis is a government scam or hoax. Surveys show many theories, from believing they will not contract COVID to distrusting the vaccine companies.
Thousands of intelligence officers face termination; the Director of National Intelligence refuses to disclose figures of vaccination rates. Hundreds of healthcare workers have been terminated or suspended for refusing the vaccine. 1First responders are also resisting the mandate for vaccination.
It’s perplexing. These are our warriors that see the effects of COVID firsthand, so why are they refusing the vaccine? For this minority, it’s not the validity of the crisis or the vaccine. They believe the mandate violates their right to choose.
The Price of Freedom: 753,517 deaths and counting
One in every 500 American citizens has died from COVID-19. There are 45.9 million confirmed cases of COVID in the US, and those who are not vaccinated have a 6.1x greater risk of contracting it. Unvaccinated US citizens have an 11.3x greater risk of dying from COVID.
Children are in school, winter is coming, and family holidays are around the corner. Last year these same indoor events led to 300,000 new cases per day, and 95,000 US deaths-the Delta variant didn’t exist. Will history repeat itself?
There are thousands of signs just like this one, protesters gathering in the streets of our cities, which is their constitutional right to do so. However, the
danger of these signs is based on misinformation. People gather on social media and chat rooms to spin conspiracy theories. The risk is that you really don’t know the person’s authority you’re listening to during these chats.
Do they have a medical degree? Are they a body of medical professionals with decades of experience in their prospective fields? Are they a government body desperately searching to solve a problem that is killing thousands without infringing on the rights of their citizens? Or are you listening to John Doe, who has no medical experience, just spinning the yarn for entertainment’s sake?
Food for thought
Suppose you are a believer that COVID doesn’t exist. Still, in fact, you’re a carrier, an asymptomatic patient (one who has a disease but shows no symptoms). You feel fine so, you go to your neighborhood grocery store and ignore the signs that say, “Fully vaccinated customers do not have to wear masks.” You enter, unmasked, and have never been tested because you’re feeling fine.
2CDC believes that half of COVID transmissions of come from asymptomatic patients. So, if you’re a carrier, it is a 50/50 shot that you’re infecting someone else without knowing it because you have never been tested.
How much longer can the healthcare system strain under the weight of this crisis? Some hospitals have zero ICU beds available and are on a waiting list to get help from an overwhelmed government. Our healthcare system may be on the verge of collapse while its citizens grapple with their individual rights.
In a community, we rely on each other. Yes, you have the freedom to choose. However, make sure you are doing the research and seeking transparent and sound information before deciding. Just like a jury member, dig, find the truth, and then make a sound judgment. Look at the person standing next to you – their life could be tied to the decision you make.
In the end, ask yourself, does your freedom end with just you? Or, as part of a tribe, you can choose to protect yourself, your family, and your community. The choice is yours.
The Battle Begins
Here are two quotes from the Associated Press News:
“It’s getting pretty disgusting how much the government thinks they can be involved in people’s lives,” he said. “If the whole thing is sort of cooling down and cases are lowering, then buzz off — don’t force it on people.”
Cole Stevenson, Ford Rouge truck plant autoworker
“If somebody is not willing to do what’s necessary to protect their own health and the health of their unit, that actually calls into question their ability to effectively do the job,”
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo
Two staunchly different views with both sides digging in their heels. Those opposed to the vaccinations are planning legal action. There are looking for laws to prove the mandate is unconstitutional. The Labor Department states that OSHA rules override state laws or orders.
What if I don’t comply?
Worst-case scenario, you’ll be terminated. And don’t count on unemployment or PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance). Suppose you are terminated for not complying with the mandate. In that case, your employer can fight your unemployment, and they will likely win.
If you decide to stay, you’ll be subject to weekly COVID tests – at the employees‘ expense. Unvaccinated personnel will also be required to wear a mask.
For businesses, there is a fine of up to $14,000 per violation. In the past, companies were just using a “good faith” system, relying on the employee’s word on their vaccination status. Now they are required to check their employees’ vaccination cards or records.
OSHA estimates there are 37.1 million unvaccinated workers, and it will consider mandating companies with under 100 employees in the future.
The Vaccine Mandate deadline is January 4, 2022
The mandate was delayed to avoid more shortages during the holiday. Every business with over 100 people is required to comply with the order. Only a small minority have refused the vaccine; 70% of US adults are vaccinated.
3President Biden said in a statement. “While I would have much preferred that requirements not become necessary, too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good. So I instituted requirements – and they are working.”
Note: On November 6, 2021, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals awarded a stay on the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate. Keep watching for more on this story.
- Stefanie Dazio, First responders nationwide resist COVID vaccine mandates, AP News, September 6, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-f459b8d187cd915e17588873e07e8bdf
- By Angela Betsaida B. Laguipo, Over half of COVID-19 cases are spread by asymptomatic carriers, CDC study finds, January 11, 2021, https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210111/Over-half-of-COVID-19-cases-are-spread-by-asymptomatic-carriers-CDC-study-finds.aspx
- Jason Hoffman, Vaccine rule for larger employers, federal contractors and certain health care workers to take effect January 4, CNN, November 4, 2021, https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/04/politics/vaccine-rule-large-employers-federal-contractors-health-care-workers/index.html