'Your refusal has cost all of us': President Biden speaks to unvaccinated Americans as mandates are announced

WASHINGTON (WAND) - President Joe Biden put the reasoning for new vaccine mandates squarely on those who are unvaccinated, saying Thursday that their refusal to take the shot "has cost all of us." 

The president has asked the U.S. Department of Labor to issue an emergency order requiring employers with 100 or more employees to make sure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require negative COVID-19 tests to be produced at least one per week. This requirement could mean a fine of $14,000 for each violation and would affect two-thirds of the U.S. workforce, a senior administration official said. 

President Biden also announced those who work in health care facilities receiving Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement are also required to be vaccinated, which NBC News reports will impact about 7 million people at 50,000 health care providers. About 27 percent of health care workers in the U.S. were unvaccinated as of July, a study from the Covid States Project said. 

Federal workers had the choice of regular COVID-19 testing instead of vaccinations, but that option is going away. 

"We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin," the president said in remarks directed to the 80 million Americans who he said are unvaccinated.

The president announced a partnership with Walmart, Amazon and Kroger. All three companies will sell at-home rapid tests for no profit for the next three months, allowing a 35 percent decrease in price by the end of the week. In addition, he said Medicaid is going to cover at-home tests for free for beneficiaries, and a free testing program will be expanded to 10,000 pharmacies by the federal government. 

The president is encouraging sports arenas and concert halls to start requiring proof of vaccination to enter. The Transportation Security Administration is going to start doubling traveler fines for people who don't wear masks on airlines and on other transportation modes. 

"If you break the rules, be prepared to pay," President Biden said. "And by the way, show some respect."

In a push to lower rising COVID-19 case rates in schools as the delta variant surges, President Biden called on all schools to begin regular COVID-19 testing. He plans to make more funding available for school districts that had funding cut by state governments for enforcing virus safety measures, including mask requirements. 

The president called on governors to mandate vaccines for teachers and school staff. He said 30,000 Head Start teachers will have to be vaccinated.