President Biden urges states to offer residents cash for vaccinations
July 30, 2021, 12:29 pm

President Biden urges states to offer residents cash for vaccinations

US President Joe Biden

According to the Sky News, President Joe Biden has called on states and local authorities in the US to offer residents $100 (£71) to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Sky News said the the US Treasury has promised that state and local governments will be able to access a $350bn (£250bn) coronavirus aid fund to pay for the incentives.

Federal workers and onsite contractors will also have to prove they are vaccinated, or else wear face masks, be socially distanced, and do regular testing.

Military personnel will have the COVID-19 vaccination added to the jabs they are already required to have.

Mr Biden said he wanted America's four million federal employees to set an example to private employers and other citizens.

COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in the US, fuelled by the highly-transmissible Delta variant, which is particularly dangerous for those who have not been vaccinated.

Mr Biden aimed to have 70% of adults at least partially vaccinated by 4 July, but the latest figure shows 69.3% are partially vaccinated and about 60% are fully vaccinated.

"It's a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Mr Biden said in a White House address on Thursday.

"People are dying who don't have to die."

Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University Law School, was optimistic that Mr Biden's plan could work.

"People would much rather roll up their sleeves and get a jab, than undergo weekly testing and universal masking," he said.

"In many ways, this is really not a mandate, it's giving workers a choice."

Mr Biden wants private businesses to follow his lead by imposing burdens for those who are not vaccinated.

Some larger businesses are already there: Facebook and Google have announced employees will have to prove they have been vaccinated before returning to work.

Airlines Delta and United are requiring new employees to show proof of vaccination, and finance firms Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley want workers to disclose their vaccination status but have stopped short of requiring them to be inoculated.

vaccinations

Jeff Hyman, a Chicago-based business author and recruiter for start-up companies, said: "I think we've reached this tipping point, and Mr Biden's announcement will provide a lot of air cover for companies and boards of directors who have difficult decisions facing them."

But the plan will not go through without opposition.

More than 100 bills have been introduced at state level banning employers from requiring vaccination and at least six states have approved these bills.

Some unions are also against the idea.

Brian Rothenberg, spokesman for United Auto Workers, said the union supported the vaccine but was against requiring people to have it.

Larry Cosme, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, had a similar view, saying: "Forcing people to undertake a medical procedure is not the American way and is a clear civil rights violation no matter how proponents may seek to justify it."

The Justice Department has said federal laws take precedence and none of those forbid employers from requiring vaccinations.

Source: skynews
Image source: skynews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”