Biden tells states to offer $100 vaccine incentive as cases surge
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Biden has also issued a strict new vaccine requirement for US federal workers, which is the nation's largest workforce with around two million people
US President Joe Biden has urged the states to offer $100 as a vaccine incentive to encourage Americans to get fully vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.
This comes amid a fresh surge in severe infections and deaths as cases surge in the US.
As per the US health experts, the surge is linked to the delta variant.
Biden has also issued a strict new vaccine requirement for US federal workers, which is the nation's largest workforce with around two million people.
As per the orders, the employees are required to show proof of vaccination or be subjected to mandatory testing and masking.
Speaking from the White House, Biden said that the new measures are a result of the highly contagious Delta variant's spread, made worse by a "pandemic of the unvaccinated".
He further added that monetary incentives may seem unfair to already vaccinated Americans but "we all benefit if we can get more people vaccinated".
Meanwhile, as the US reports fresh coronavirus cases, the World Health Organization in its latest report said that over the past week the highest numbers of new cases were reported in the US.
The US accounted for 500,332 COVID-19 cases which was an increase of 131 per cent followed by Brazil with 324,334 new cases - up 13 per cent and Indonesia with 289,029 cases.
