Details are thin, but Presidentish Joe Biden reportedly will suspend his vaccine mandate for federal workers.
According to a memo issued by the Biden administration, the “White House’s Office of Management and Budget is telling federal agencies they should hold off on suspending or firing federal workers for not complying with the vaccine mandate until after the holidays.”
This is a huge cave for an administration whose remaining anti-COVID effort is focused almost exclusively on the vaccine mandate.
Further lockdowns are out, according to one report. People have lost patience with social distancing and travel restrictions. And it’s probably not too much of an exaggeration to say that “Which famous person isn’t wearing a mask today?” has taken the place of “Who in Hollywood is secretly gay?” as America’s favorite gossip topic.
That leaves the mandate. So for the sake of public perception that Biden is doing something, no matter how ineffective or unconstitutional, he can’t let go of it.
But from here, it sure looks like Biden’s temporary suspension could well become permanent.
While 92% of federal workers have received at least one dose, it’s unknown how many are fully dosed as Biden’s mandate requires. How many are refusing both shots and how many got one shot but then said “Enough!” are both unknown.
“Only” 60% of Americans are fully vaccinated. If the same percentage holds true for federal workers, that’s four in ten who don’t meet Biden’s mandate.