United Becomes First U.S. Airline to Order Staff to Get Vaxxed

Flying United is about to get a little bit safer. The airline has become the first in the U.S. to announce a vaccine mandate for its staff. In a message to staff reported by CNBC on Friday morning, United CEO Scott Kirby and President Brett Hart told employees: “We know some of you will disagree with this decision to require the vaccine for all United employees... But, we have no greater responsibility to you and your colleagues than to ensure your safety when you’re at work, and the facts are crystal clear: Everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated.” All 67,000 staff members will be required to get their shots by Oct. 25, but exemptions will be considered for medical or religious reasons. According to CNBC, United is already way ahead of the national average for vaccination—roughly 90 percent of pilots and 80 percent of flight attendants are protected.