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Half of US workers think employers should require COVID-19 vaccines for workers, poll finds

Vaccine Mask Mandates
Posted at 9:27 AM, Aug 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-26 09:43:09-04

NEW YORK — Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces at a time when such mandates are gaining traction now that the government has given full approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.

The new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 47% of in-person workers are in favor. About a quarter of all workers — working both remote and in-person — are opposed to such mandates.

The poll found similar findings for sentiments on workplace mask mandates. Half of Americans working — including 59% of those working remote — are in favor of requiring masks at work, with about one-third opposed.

About 6 in 10 college graduates — people who are more likely to have jobs that require them to work from home — support both vaccine and mask mandates at their workplaces. That compares to about 40% of workers without college degrees.

Vaccine mandate poll
A new AP-NORC poll finds half of Americans working in person support COVID-19 vaccine mandates for people at their workplace.

The poll results come just days after the Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine — a move that could prompt more businesses and local governments to require vaccinations.

In recent days, the Pentagon has provided more information on their requirement that all military members be vaccinated; the city of Chicago has mandated that all city employees get a shot and Delta Airlines has introduced policies that penalize workers who do not choose to get vaccinated.