Walt Disney
World near Orlando, Florida has put on hold the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement
by the President Joe Biden administration, a spokesperson has confirmed. The mandate
requires businesses with at least 100 employees to get their staff vaccinated
against COVID-19 or conduct tests every week and wear a face mask at work.

A
spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that the resort complex, which is operated
by the Walt Disney Co, has paused the mandate, local TV station Fox 35 reported
citing a cast member.

This comes after
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a legislation prohibiting
vaccine mandates for private employers, government entities and schools.

Earlier, in
an email to Reuters, a Disney spokesperson said, “We believe that our approach
to mandatory vaccines has been the right one as we have continued to focus on
the safety and well-being of our Cast Members and Guests.”

“At this
point, more than 90% of active Florida-based Cast Members have already verified
that they are fully vaccinated,” the statement added.

Also Read | CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for all adults

Last month,
executives of Walt Disney Co, United Parcel Service Inc and other firms met ith
White House officials to discuss the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine
mandate policy for private sector businesses.

Vaccine
mandates are very controversial in the Unted States, as there are concerns the
policy might worsen labour shortages and disrupt supply-chain woes. Supporters
say such policies will help end the coronavirus pandemic, while opponents say
it violates the American constitution and violates individual liberty.

Also Read | White House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed for no mask at Washington DC bar

The mandate
was imposed in September, with Biden saying “our patience is wearing thin” with
those who are refusing to get vaccinated.

Walt Disney
Co had on July 30 made vaccination mandatory for all on-site salaried and
non-union hourly employees in the US, amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases
driven by the highly infectious Delta variant.