The White House announced an end to COVID-19 vaccination requirements for federal employees, contractors, and international travelers.
A series of COVID-19 vaccine mandates were originally announced by the White House in 2021 seeking to "promote the health and safety of individuals and the efficiency of workplaces" along with "protecting vital sectors of [the] economy and vulnerable populations," according to the White House.
The White House cited a 95% decline in deaths along with a 91% drop in hospitalizations, noting COVID-19 deaths are at the lowest levels since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The White House further cited nearly 270 million Americans had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends," the White House wrote in a Monday statement.
"Additionally, HHS and DHS announced today that they will start the process to end their vaccination requirements for Head Start educators, CMS-certified healthcare facilities, and certain noncitizens at the land border. In the coming days, further details related to ending these requirements will be provided."
"Our Administration’s vaccination requirements helped ensure the safety of workers in critical workforces including those in the healthcare and education sectors, protecting themselves and the populations they serve, and strengthening their ability to provide services without disruptions to operations," the announcement continued, citing 98% compliance of workers who had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or had a pending or approved exception or extension request filed by January 2022.
"Our COVID-19 vaccine requirements bolstered vaccination across the nation, and our broader vaccination campaign has saved millions of lives," the announcement concluded. "While vaccination remains one of the most important tools in advancing the health and safety of employees and promoting the efficiency of workplaces, we are now in a different phase of our response when these measures are no longer necessary."
In January 2022, the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees was blocked by the Supreme Court of the United States.
The lawsuit, brought forward by Harmeet Dhillon of the The Dhillon Law Group, Inc. and Alliance Defending Freedom, was filed on behalf of conservative media outlet The Daily Wire.
“The Biden vaccine mandate is as good as dead," announced Daily Wire Co-CEO Jeremy Boreing. "We said 'DO NOT COMPLY' and you did not comply."
