January 24, 2022
3 mins read

Thousands hit DC streets against vaccine mandates

Among those marching were firefighters, teachers, first responders, anti-vaccine activists and other groups….reports Asian Lite News

Thousands of Americans from across the country gathered in Washington D.C. for a march against Covid-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions, as people were frustrated and fatigued by the recent surge in cases and the overall health crisis.

During the march on Sunday called “Defeat The Mandates: An American Homecoming”, protesters walked from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to decry Covid-19 mandates, reports Xinhua news agency.

The march was billed as a protest of vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, vaccines for children, and other pandemic requirements and restrictions.

Among those marching were firefighters, teachers, first responders, anti-vaccine activists and other groups.

“We are gathering together in peace and solidarity for the preservation of personal sovereignty and to STOP medical coercion, discrimination and mandates,” organizers of the march said on the event’s website.

The march came just a week after Washington D.C.’s vaccine mandate, which requires patrons of indoor businesses to show proof of vaccination, took effect, in response to a surge in Covid-19 cases and the highly infectious Omicron variant.

The march also came after US Supreme Court earlier this month blocked the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate for large businesses amid an increasingly heated nationwide debate on anti-pandemic regulations.

In a 6-3 decision, the conservative-majority in the high court said the White House overstepped its authority by seeking to impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) rule requiring workers at US businesses with 100 or more employees to either get vaccinated or submit a negative Covid-19 test weekly.

The court’s decision came as Americans are becoming intensely divided over coronavirus-related measures, and some are fed up and frustrated by the strain the pandemic has put on daily life.

At a press conference last week, President Joe Biden acknowledged that “there’s a lot of frustration and fatigue in this country” due to the pandemic.

“I know that after almost two years of physical, emotional, and psychological weight of this pandemic, the impact it’s had on everyone, for many of us, it’s been too much to bear,” Biden told reporters.

But Biden insisted that the US has made great progress in the fight against pandemic, and the administration will stick with vaccination efforts “because vaccinations work”.

Nearly a quarter of eligible Americans remain unvaccinated against Covid-19, according to data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, said on Sunday he is confident that most states in the country will reach a peak of Omicron infection cases by mid-February.

“You never want to be overconfident when you’re dealing with this virus,” Fauci said in an interview with ABC.

“Things are looking good. We don’t want to get overconfident, but they look like they’re going in the right direction right now,” he said.

The recent Covid-19 surge in the US driven by the Omicron variant is leading to record high cases, hospitalizations, and critical shortages of healthcare staffs.

As of Monday, the country has registered a total of 70,699,416 cases and 866,540 deaths.

ALSO READ: US Senate blocks Biden’s push to reform voting rights

Previous Story

Bangladesh observes Mass Uprising Day

Next Story

Google Cloud to open new office in India

Latest from -Top News

Pakistan’s Shadow War in Balochistan

At least 50 killed by Pakistan-backed death squads in Balochistan in April, says HRCB — toll expected to rise in May….reports Asian Lite News The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) reported

Russia, Ukraine Resume Talks

The upcoming talks follow a significant hiatus in diplomatic engagement between the two nations, which have been locked in a brutal conflict since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 Russia and

UN Pays Tribute to Indian Soldiers

Thursday was observed as the 77th UN Peacekeepers Day, honouring the work of 61,353 peacekeepers, of whom 5,375 hailed from India….reports Asian Lite News Brigadier Amitabh Jha and Havildar Sanjay Singh, who

Modi’s New Warfare Playbook

Modi has upended the old playbook and India and Pakistan are entering dangerous new territory where nuclear deterrence is no longer a guarantee against conventional conflict…writes Collins Chong Yew Keat The India-Pakistan
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Biden’s ‘new world order’ remark raises eyebrows

The comment raised eyebrows in both the US and around

UK, US, EU and China sign declaration of AI’s danger

South Korea has agreed to host another such summit in