U.S. poll shows half of workers back mandates

Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a new poll, at a time when such mandates gain traction after the federal government’s full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that about 59% of remote workers favor vaccine requirements in their own workplaces, compared with 47% of those who are currently working in person. About onequarter of workers — in person and remote — are opposed.

The sentiment is similar for workplace mask mandates, with 50% of Americans working in person favoring them and 29% opposed.

About 6 in 10 college graduates, who are more likely to have jobs that can be done remotely, support both mask and vaccine mandates at their workplaces, compared with about 4 in 10 workers without college degrees.

Christopher Messick, an electrical engineer who is mostly working from home in Brunswick, Md., wrote to his company’s human resources department to request employees get vaccinated before they are recalled to the office.

“I don’t want sit an office for eight hours a day with someone who is not vaccinated,” said Messick, 41. “The people who are anti-vax, I see them as selfish.”

About 73% of Black workers and 59% of Latino workers — who are more likely than whites to work in front-line jobs — support mask mandates at their workplaces, compared with 42% of white workers. In addition, 53% of Black and Latino workers support vaccine mandates at their workplaces, along with 44% of white workers. “Love Train” participants rally in Berlin to show their support for government restrictions to slow the spread of the virus. Opponents of curbs also marched in the German capital.

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