President Biden set a goal of July 4 to “get closer to normal” in reopening the country. To achieve this goal, Biden will direct all states to make all American adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, 2021. This deadline does not mean every adult will be vaccinated by May 1. Rather it means every adult will be eligible for the vaccination. Currently, vaccinations are only available to high-risk individuals such as those 65 years and older and for essential workers such as fire fighters, nurses, and teachers. Approximately 66 million Americans are fully vaccinated.
The Biden administration said it is on track to reach 2 million shots a day in the near future. There are 255 million adults currently in the United States. The administration’s plan to achieve this increased vaccination goal is expanding the number of drive-thru vaccination sites and neighborhood centers. It also plans to double the number of retail pharmacies, such as Walgreens, CVS, etc…, enrolled in the federal distribution program to more than 20,000. The administration will allow veterinarians, dentists, optometrists, midwives, physician assistants medical students, and others to help administer the shots.
As greater numbers of people are fully vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control will update its guidance on activities like the re-opening of businesses. The CDC recommends business owners create a COVID-19 preparedness plan and post it throughout the workplace, in addition to providing training to employees. The plan should outline how the business plans to follow the CDC guidelines, including social distancing, employee hygiene and sanitation. The CDC also recommends health screenings to prevent sick employees from entering the workplace. However, as the Biden administration sets the accelerated time schedule of May 1, 2021, we expect more workplace regulations/reform from both individual states and from the CDC.
Virtus Law, PLLC continues to monitor changes in this area and will continue to post relevant updates to this website.