The move aims to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging Delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardising the US’s economic recovery.

The rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or tested for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans.

And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid will have to be fully vaccinated.

Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government. That covers several million more workers.

Just two months ago Biden prematurely declared the nation’s “independence” from the virus.

Now, despite more than 208 million Americans having at least one dose of the vaccines, the US is seeing about 300 per cent more in  new COVID-19 infections a day, about two-and-a-half times more hospital admissions, and nearly twice the number of deaths compared to the same time last year.

After months of using promotions to drive the vaccination rate, Biden is taking a much firmer hand, as his aides blame people who have not yet received shots for the sharp rise in cases that is killing more than 1000 people per day and hitting a fragile economic rebound.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s “overarching objective here is to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans,” noting about 80 million adults remain unvaccinated.

In addition to the vaccination requirements, Biden is moving to double federal fines for airline passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights.

The president is also calling for large entertainment venues and arenas to require vaccinations or proof of a negative test for entry.

-AAP