Nearly all federal workers who were covered under the vaccine mandate proposed by the administration of United States President Joe Biden have been vaccinated. The number was recorded at 92%, a day after the deadline.

The COVID vaccination mandate said that all 3.5 million federal workers of the United States need to be at least vaccinated with one dose.

The White House also released agency-by-agency data of COVID vaccinations. The list was topped by the United States Agency for International Development, which had a single dose vaccination rate of 97.8%. 

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The Department of Health and Human Services and State Department, which is headed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, stood next in line with 96.4% and 96.1% respectively, according to reports from Associated Press citing White House data.

On the other hand, agencies in the sphere of law enforcement seemed to lag. Department of Veterans Affairs is at 87.8% of partial vaccinations while the Department of Homeland Security recorded 88.9%.

The White House data release suggested that the United States Department of Agriculture was seeded at the bottom of the list with an 86.1% partial vaccination rate.

But overall, 96.5% of federal employees have been deemed in compliance with the policy, which also includes medical or religious exemptions that are still being evaluated, according to reports from Associated Press.

The rest are considered out of compliance, but officials emphasized that “it’s not a cliff,” and that workers will receive counseling to get vaccinated or file for an exemption. Only then would termination be considered.

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Kevin Munoz, the assistant press secretary at the White House, said in a statement, “We know vaccine requirements work”, according to AP reports.

He added, “We hope that our implementation sends the clear message to businesses to move forward with similar measures that will protect their workforce, protect their customers, and protect our communities.”

(With AP inputs)