Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a new executive order that bans employers, including private businesses, from requiring vaccinations of employees or customers. The move comes as the Republican governor challenged the Biden administration by accusing it of “bullying” private entities into enforcing vaccine mandates.
I issued an Executive Order prohibiting vaccine mandates by ANY entity in Texas.
I also added the issue to the Special Session agenda.
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, & our best defense against the virus, but should always remain voluntary & never forced. pic.twitter.com/8hHHLyebCk
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 11, 2021
President Joe Biden issued vaccine mandates in September as per which all employers with more than 100 workers are required to be vaccinated or be tested weekly for the virus.
Abbott’s Crackdown On Vaccine Mandates
In the new executive order issued Monday, Abbott said that the Biden administration vaccine mandates resulted in what he said were “workforce disruptions” threatening Texas’ recovery from the pandemic, ABC 13 reported.
“The Biden administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas’s continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster,” the governor stated in the order issued Monday.
Abbott, who tested positive for COVID-19 in August, has also banned businesses from requiring proof of vaccination and enforced a fine for violators. The governor said he would submit a request to the state legislature, led by Republicans, to codify his executive order into law.
Abbott continues to crack down on vaccine mandates. In his previous executive order, he already banned coronavirus vaccine requirements by cities, government agencies, counties and school districts. That order is currently being fought in court by San Antonio Independent School District.
The governor continues to insist that though the COVID-19 vaccine is “safe, effective and our best defense against the virus,” getting vaccinated is a matter of personal choice.
COVID-19 Cases ‘Decline’ In Texas
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) data tracker, Texas has been witnessing a decline in coronavirus cases recently. As of Oct. 11, the state had 167,455 active infections and 66,700 COVID-related deaths, as per the COVID-19 data tracker.
Abbott also took to Twitter about the same:
Covid hospitalizations continue to decline in Texas & are now at the lowest level since July 29th.
The 7-day Covid positivity rate is below 8% for the first time since July 10th.
Today Texas reported the fewest Covid-related deaths–two–in almost 3 months.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 12, 2021
Several big firms have been following the administration’s vaccine mandates and announced deadlines for their staff to get vaccinated or face either suspension or termination of their job.
As of now, it is not known whether the Biden administration would sue Texas for the governor’s latest executive order as it may come in way of the government’s vaccination goal.
Nationally, the United States has so far reported 44,562,287 COVID-19 cases 716,477 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
