U.S. sets Jan. 4 deadline for large company vaccine mandate

Workers at companies with more than 100 employees and workers at health care facilities that treat Medicare and Medicaid patients will be required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing as of Jan. 4, according to a report from the Associated Press. The mandate announced this week also extends the deadline for federal contractors. Companies identified in the mandate must require workers to get fully vaccinated — with two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or one shot of Johnson & Johnson — by Jan. 4. After that date, any employee who remains unvaccinated must provide a verified negative COVID test weekly. Unvaccinated employees will also be required to wear masks.