NYC: Big employers take a strong line against vaccine holdouts

New York became the first major city in the country to require proof of COVID-19 vaccine at all restaurants, shows, and gyms. This joins a growing number of state and local governments as well as major employers who are taking a strong stand against the rising delta variant and vaccine skeptics.

TheEditor
TheEditor
03 August 2021 Tuesday 15:43
774 Reads
NYC: Big employers take a strong line against vaccine holdouts

Tyson Foods, a meat and poultry giant, said that it will require its roughly 120,000 U.S. workers to have the shot within the next three-months. It is one of the largest employers of front-line workers.

Microsoft will require that all of its approximately 100,000 U.S. employees, vendors, and visitors show proof of vaccination by September. An estimated 150,000 workers from the three largest U.S. automakers will need to return to wearing masks beginning Wednesday.

"The goal is to convince everyone that now is the right time. The time to end the delta variant is now. That means you need to get vaccinated now," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio stated when he announced the new aggressive measures that will take effect in mid August.

Along with city and state apps, vaccination cards will be accepted to prove inoculation.

The number of COVID-19-related cases in the U.S. has increased sixfold since February to more than 85,000 daily, an increase not seen since midFebruary. The number of deaths has increased from 254 per day, to 386 in the past two weeks.

Florida now has over 11,500 people in hospital with COVID-19. Louisiana saw an unprecedented number of patients in hospital with COVID-19, with more than 2,100 of these people being unvaccinated. Both states have lower vaccination rates than the national average.

"You talk and laugh with the patient, then you might walk out of that room and then, maybe an hour later, you're walking in that room with a cart because their condition has deteriorated that quickly," Penny Ceasar, who manages admissions at Westside Regional Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Despite growing concern about the spread of the virus, vaccinations have started to increase in the last few weeks. They now average more than half-million per day, but still fall far below the April peak of 3.4million.

Nearly 61% of adults in the country have had at least one shot and 70% of them are fully vaccinated. This is far below the level President Joe Biden desired for the U.S.

Experts believe the vaccine is still very effective in preventing serious illness or death from the more contagious mutant form.

Florida Gov. Florida Governor. He encouraged everyone to get vaccinated.

DeSantis stated, "We aren't closing down." "We will keep schools open. We are protecting every Floridian’s job in this state. We protect small businesses of people."

Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, criticized policies in Florida and Texas that prevent or block vaccines.

She said that she believes the fundamental question is "What are we doing here?" and that President Joe Biden intended to emphasize that "we're all involved in this together."

Representatives from General Motors and Ford, the parent company to Chrysler, made the decision to cover up again. This applies to all employees who have been vaccinated. This move comes less than a month after autoworkers who had been vaccinated were allowed to remove their masks.

Donnie King, the CEO of Springdale, Arkansas-based company Tyson, stated in a memo that the vaccine requirement was necessary to overcome persistent hesitancy and get the shots.

We did not take this decision lightly. King stated that the team spent months encouraging their team members to become vaccinated. Today, less than half of them are.

Sean Ogs from Woodside Cafe in Queens said that he was shocked to hear about the mandatory vaccinations.

"We have been through a lot. Ogs stated that she doesn't know how to handle it. It'll be more work. It will make it impossible.

Debbie McCarthy, a frequent at Woodside Cafe, is unvaccinated and was denied entry to several establishments.

McCarthy said McCarthy was surprised that they would do this. McCarthy said she had recovered from COVID-19 a few months back and believes her antibodies will keep her safe from another infection. "Why are they so afraid people who haven’t been vaccinated?" "I think we should have a choice."