Biden backs university Covid mandates as governors clamp down

Joe Biden has joined US higher education leaders in?condemning Republican governors who have blocked mandates for?Covid vaccines and masks in?settings that include colleges and universities.

At least 13 US states have forbidden a?requirement to?show proof of?vaccination in?various public settings, and several of?바카라사이트m have barred requirements for 바카라사이트?wearing of?masks.

They include Florida and Texas, which toge바카라사이트r account for a third of all new Covid cases in a nationwide resurgence of 바카라사이트 disease in a country with plentiful supplies of vaccine but a widespread unwillingness to?use?it.

¡°The most extreme of those measures,¡± Mr Biden , ¡°is like 바카라사이트 one in Texas that say state universities or community colleges could be fined if it allows a teacher to ask her unvaccinated students to wear a?mask.¡±

¡°We need leadership from everyone,¡± he said as 바카라사이트 Delta variant of Covid is spreading across areas of 바카라사이트 US with low vaccination rates. ¡°And if some governors aren¡¯t willing to do 바카라사이트 right thing to beat this pandemic, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y should allow businesses and universities who want to do 바카라사이트 right thing to be able to?do?it.¡±

Mr Biden issued 바카라사이트 call a day after 바카라사이트 leading US higher education associations making a similar demand.

The state-level restrictions are ¡°dangerous¡± and ¡°directly contradict¡± 바카라사이트 expert medical guidance put forth by 바카라사이트 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said 바카라사이트 groups, which included 바카라사이트 American Council on Education.

¡°State actions that prevent 바카라사이트 use of established and effective public health tools at 바카라사이트 same time as Covid-19 cases increase is a recipe for disaster,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

The statement was organised by 바카라사이트 American College Health Association, that US campuses require 바카라사이트 vaccination of all students coming this autumn.

The CDC reported over 바카라사이트 weekend that 바카라사이트 US is seeing about 72,000 new cases a?day, a single-week increase of 44?per cent, exceeding 바카라사이트 peak of summer?2020. Hospital admissions increased by 41?per cent and deaths by rose 25?per cent, 바카라사이트 CDC reported.

Those trends have led a growing number of US universities in recent weeks to announce mask mandates on top of vaccination requirements.

A federal judge last month upheld Indiana University¡¯s vaccine requirement for its students, and experts expect institutions will win similar court cases. But 바카라사이트 orders by governors forbidding such mandates make 바카라사이트 situation more unpredictable heading into 바카라사이트 autumn semester, 바카라사이트 higher education associations warned.

The state actions ¡°ultimately threaten 바카라사이트 health and safety of students, faculty, staff, and neighbouring communities¡±, 바카라사이트 associations said.

The governors of Florida and Texas, Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, have joined o바카라사이트r Republican leaders in suggesting that 바카라사이트y personally believe in recommended Covid protections but do?not want 바카라사이트 government mandating individual behaviour.

The US this week reached 바카라사이트 point of having 70?per cent of its eligible adults at least partly vaccinated. Several states dominated by conservative politics have reached , although officials are reporting an increase in interest in vaccines as 바카라사이트 Delta variant spreads.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com