Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Friday it’s ''incredibly frustrating'' some Americans still resist getting COVID-19 shots — and that the Biden administration is considering ways to increase vaccinations, including by withholding federal funds.
In remarks to MSNBC’s ''Stephanie Ruhle Reports,'' Raimondo said, ''We want to get it right.''
The remarks begin about the 6:26-minute mark.
''You know, the president’s team on COVID is trying to be as creative as possible and considering all options,'' she said in answer to whether one option would be withholding federal money from big corporations that employ thousands.
''So, yes, everything is being considered. Obviously, in a very thoughtful way. ... This is too important.
''The fact of the matter is, it is incredibly frustrating that certain Americans are still choosing not to be vaccinated because of the great work of the Biden administration, anyone can get a vaccine for free, any day,'' she added.
''We know these are incredibly effective vaccines. At this point, there is no excuse not to get yourself vaccinated. It is easy. It’s free. It’s safe. It’s effective.
''We are starting to consider different approaches and more creative approaches, more incentives because until everyone is vaccinated, we will not be out of the woods,'' she continued.
''How do we turn the corner on COVID? Everyone needs to be vaccinated, and then we need to get in the business of making these long-term investments so we can fundamentally improve our productivity, innovation, and competitiveness in this economy,'' she said.
The administrative push comes as United Airlines announced Friday it’ll require its U.S. workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by late October. But a United executive said the airline has no plans to require that passengers be vaccinated, calling it a government decision.
Microsoft, Google and Facebook have said they will require proof of vaccination for employees and visitors to their U.S. offices starting this fall.
This week, Tyson Foods announced it will require all U.S. employees to get vaccinated by November — notable because unlike the tech companies, Tyson relies on many lower-paid workers who cannot do their jobs remotely. The president of the United Food and Commercial Workers criticized Tyson for imposing the requirement while the vaccines still have only emergency FDA approval.
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Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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