Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would seek the president’s OK to make the vaccine mandatory by mid-September or once the FDA grants final approval, whichever comes first. On Monday, after the FDA acted, the Pentagon said guidance on vaccinations will be worked out and a timeline will be provided in the coming days.
The approval also opened the way for swift action by colleges to require vaccines and solidified the legal ground for hundreds of universities that have already issued mandates for students and staff.
LSU, with more than 30,000 students, acted amid a surge in Louisiana that has repeatedly broken records for the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19. Some major college systems such as the University of Minnesota said they were waiting for FDA approval before making vaccinations mandatory. But some states forbid universities to require shots, including Texas and Florida.
“Mandating becomes much easier when you have full approval,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory University. “I think a lot of businesses have been waiting for it.”
On the same day the FDA decision came down, New York City announced that all public school teachers and other staffers will have to get vaccinated.
Earlier this month, New York City, New Orleans and San Francisco all imposed proof-of-vaccination requirements at restaurants, bars and other indoor venues.
###[ad_2]
Originally Appeared Here