Biden announced a six-point initiative Thursday to boost vaccinations, improve access to testing and make coronavirus treatments more widely available. The new mandates cover about 100 million workers, or two-thirds of all workers in the U.S., administration officials said.

The US president signed executive orders for all companies with 100 or more employees to request their workers to be vaccinated or undergo at least weekly Covid-19 testing.

The new rules increased Biden’s battle with Republican governors, who oppose government intervention in handling the pandemic in the states.

Georgia Chief Executive Brian Kemp posted on Twitter that he will use all available legal options to stop this ‘illegal overreach’ of President Biden’s powers.

In this regard, Doug Ducey, R-Ariz., said measures infringe ‘personal freedoms’ and forcing people to be vaccinated is a ‘scandalous mandate, which will never be upheld in court.’

In his Thursday´s speech, President Joe Biden expressed his frustration with elected officials, who obstruct health measures to fight the virus and cause the deaths of US citizens.

Latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that 64.3% of adults were fully vaccinated.

Despite the results, the Delta strain keeps the United States with one of the world´s highest incidence rates, mainly among unimmunized individuals, including children under 12 years of age who still do not have any drug to face the SARS-CoV-2.

pgh/Pll/npg / avr