Biden Vaccine Rule May Impact 100 Million People, Including In WA

OLYMPIA, WA — President Joe Biden has announced a new vaccine order that is expected to impact up to 100 million Americans, including many in Washington.

As the Associated Press first reported, the order will mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require that their employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, or submit to weekly virus tests. According to the AP, that mandate will impact roughly 80 million Americans, including employees of large businesses here in Washington.

The order also requires employees at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding. That should impact roughly 17 million more Americans, though it will not change much for Washingtonians: Washington state is already requiring that all health care employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18.

Finally, a separate executive order will require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and all contractors who work with the federal government, the Associated Press reported. That order will impact several million more workers.

The orders are the first COVID-19 vaccine mandate to come from the federal government, but not the first in Washington. The Evergreen State's first vaccine order came on Aug. 9, when Gov. Jay Inslee announced that state employees and health care workers would need to be fully vaccinated by mid-October.

"These vaccines save lives and have minimal side effects," Inslee said at a news conference announcing the requirement. "More than 95 percent of the COVID hospitalizations we see today are among the unvaccinated. The unvaccinated people are those at risk in Washington."

Inslee has since followed up that order with similar statewide vaccine mandates for teachers and firefighters. Several smaller jurisdictions have also issued vaccine requirements of their own, including the City of Seattle and Office of the Washington State Auditor.

Most of Washington's vaccine requirements allow limited exemptions for those who have medical reasons or "sincerely held religious beliefs" for not getting the vaccine. Employees must submit applications to be granted an exemption, and may be subject to a screening process.

It does not appear the Biden order will offer religious exemptions, though under it employees can elect to take weekly nasal swab tests if they would prefer not to be vaccinated.

The vaccine orders come as the highly-contagious delta variant of COVID-19 sweeps through Washington and much of the country. According to the Washington State Department of Health's latest update Wednesday, rising hospitalization rates have local hospitals stressed to the breaking point.

"DOH encourages Washingtonians to help by doing their part such as getting vaccinated, wearing masks in crowded or indoor public places, and taking other preventive steps," the agency said.

Related stories:

WA Announces Vaccine Order For State Employees, Health Workers

Vaccines Required At Washington Schools, Mask Mandate Reinstated