MD- Pfizer has announced that their employees in the United States will have to get the Covid vaccine or they will be subjected to compulsory weekly testing.
Pfizer announced on Wednesday that they will require all their US employees (full-time as well as contractual) to take the Covid-19 vaccine. Any employee who chooses not to do so will have to undergo weekly Covid tests.
Pfizer Vaccine Mandate For Us Employees
The spokesperson of the company, Pamela Eisele announced the initiative. According to her, this measure will be the best method to ensure the safety of all Pfizer employees as well as their customer. She feels that this sort of an attempt will protect the health and security of their community of users as well who are buying vaccines from Pfizer.
Even employees outside the US are being encouraged by Pfizer to take the vaccine. But Eisele has also made it clear that this vaccine mandate will not be compulsory for employees with any specific medical conditions or health restrictions. However, the official announcement has also made it absolutely clear that Pfizer employees will have to completely adhere to all Covid safety protocols introduced at the national level, at the local level, and also by the organization themselves.
This decision by Pfizer comes in the wake of the rising number of cases in the USA due to a new variant of the Covid-19 virus. After a few months of declining graphs and gradual re-opening of businesses, this new rise of cases is putting a wrinkle of worry into the restarting of operations for many companies.
Pfizer had worked with German pharmaceutical brand Biotech to develop their vaccine which has now been used to vaccinate millions of people all over the world. So they are encouraging vaccination among their own workforce as well.
The highly infectious delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is leading to a spike in cases in parts of the USA and cities like New York are putting in place vaccine mandates to control the spread of new infections. New York has now the first major US city to make full vaccination proof mandatory to enter different indoor venues like gyms and restaurants.
But surveys show that Americans are still completely undecided about the vaccine. In a poll taken between July 24th to July 28th, 802 American citizens were asked to share their opinion on vaccine mandates. 49% voted in favor of introducing vaccine mandates. But nearly 46% were also opposed to such a scheme. Around 5% of citizens who were asked said that they were undecided about the issues. Even if we consider the 3.5% margin of error of this poll, the survey shows that both pro and anti mandate opinions are equally balanced at present.
Many Americans are already fully vaccinated, many more have taken at least their first dose of the vaccine. But there are still others who are very skeptical about vaccines and are choosing not to get their vaccine shots. These people may be very opposed to the introduction of vaccine mandates. Some people who are in favor of vaccines may also see it as a curtailment of individual rights to introduce vaccine mandates.
But whatever may be the actual statistics of opinions on vaccine mandates, in the face of rising infections, many companies are delaying their re-opening plans or introducing vaccine mandates. One of America’s largest vaccine manufacturers Pfizer Biotech is now also walking along the path of mandatory immunization for employees. This may not be able to control infections completely, but it will be able to significantly reduce the risks associated with chances of infections.
Vaccines are helping to save many lives. Especially in crowded indoor places where infections can spread quickly, vaccines are very efficient in fighting the virus.
