CHICAGO (WAND) - President Joe Biden called on employers to require COVID-19 vaccinations as part of a Thursday visit to Chicago. 

NBC Chicago reports the president came to O'Hare International Airport before going to Elk Grove Village. This was part of a trip that was originally scheduled to happen in the previous week, but was postponed. 

Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfood greeted President Biden at the airport. 

At Elk Grove, the president went to a construction site where Clayco - of the biggest Midwest construction companies - was working. Clayco has taken action ahead of an upcoming federal government rule that will require all employers with over 100 employees to have COVID-19 vaccinations or face weekly virus testing. 

President Biden said other businesses should take the same steps and potentially require shots without an option for testing out. 

"Today, I'm calling on more employers to act. My message is require your employees to get vaccinated," the president said. "With vaccinations, we're going to beat this pandemic finally. Without them, we face endless months of chaos in our hospitals, damage to our economy and anxiety in our schools, empty restaurants, and much less commerce. Look, I know the vaccination requirements are a tough medicine - unpopular with some, politics for others. But they're life-saving and game-changing for our country."

The president previously had strong words for unvaccinated Americans, saying their refusal to get vaccinated "has cost all of us." 

Vaccine requirements he announced in September said not only included the above requirement for companies. It also mandated those who work in health care facilities receiving Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement must be vaccinated. This will impact about 7 million people at 50,000 health care providers.Â