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U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on plans to stop the spread of the Delta variant and boost Covid-19 vaccinations at the White House State Dining Room in Washington, DC on September 9 2021.
Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images
Consumer companies have questions for President Joe Biden about his plan to increase vaccination rates.
On Thursday, Biden presented a six-pronged plan to increase vaccination rates. His administration will require federal employees to get vaccinated, with no option for weekly Covid-19 testing. Biden also said he would ask the Department of Labor to issue a rule requiring employers with more than 100 employees to impose vaccines or require weekly testing.
New cases of Covid in the United States reached a seven-day moving average of 124,622 on Sunday, down about 19% from the previous week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Still, case rates hover near January levels, before Covid vaccines were available to most of the population.
The Consumer Brands Association wrote a letter to Biden on Monday containing a “small sample” of questions its members have asked the organization as they prepare for a mandate to vaccinate their workers. The trade group represents consumer packaged goods companies, including industry giants like Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and General Mills, as well as retailers Amazon, Albertsons and Target.
The occupational group’s questions at Biden cover a range of concerns: Does an employee need to be fully immunized to work? Will the requirements only apply to vaccines fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration? What are the consequences of falsifying one’s vaccination or testing status, and does the responsibility lie with the individual or the employer? Will waivers be allowed if absences or attrition of critical employees significantly disrupt CPG’s supply chain?
“The Consumer Brands Association and our member companies stand ready to work with you to get Americans vaccinated,” Group CEO Geoff Freeman wrote in the letter. “Strong and consistent collaboration between the private and public sectors on implementation will accelerate progress towards our common goal. “
The proposed tenure comes at a difficult time for these employers, who have seen sluggish hiring trends. In August, the CPG industry created just 6,000 jobs, well below its needs to meet demand. Many companies have suspended the implementation of internal vaccination mandates for their staff to avoid the resignation of unvaccinated workers.
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