© 2026 ABC News

The Biden administration has made clear there will be no federal mandate; but its recent lean-in to vaccine requirements marks a shift in tone, going from from removing barriers to getting the vaccine to making it harder to move about \"normal\" life for those who choose not to get it.

\"There's a bit of a hassle factor that plays into whether or not people are willing to get an exemption,\" Julie Morita, executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told ABC. \"And if it's too difficult or more challenging, people might opt just to get vaccinated.\"

As the NFL season gets into gear, the league informed clubs that it would not extend the season to accommodate a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players that leads to a game cancellation, the NFL Network reported, a stark turn from the season prior, when the league flexed the schedule to avoid missed games amid outbreaks. Additionally, players on both teams would forfeit pay for the lost contest, and the team responsible for the cancellation brought on by unvaccinated players would cover the financial losses and face potential disciplinary action.

\"PHOTO:
Etienne Laurent/EPA via Shutterstock
PHOTO: A woman gets vaccinated at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Paramount, Calif., Aug. 4, 2021.
>

Caplan suggests framing vaccination as the more appealing choice; opting out will make life harder.

New York is the first city in the country that will require proof of at least one dose of vaccination for some of the main modes of basic leisure -- dining out inside, indoor entertainment and working out at the gym. All state employees will be required to get vaccinated or get tested weekly beginning Labor Day.

Major privately run hospitals in New York will impose a similar vaccine requirement. In internal emails obtained by ABC News, New York Presbyterian and Mount Sinai both notified staff that beginning in September, there will be new requirements for employees. At New York Presbyterian, staff must be vaccinated or obtain a valid exemption – those who are granted exemptions will be tested frequently. At Mount Sinai, workers must show proof of vaccination or undergo weekly testing. State-run, patient-facing hospital workers will have no testing option.

\"Please note that compliance -- either by vaccination or exemption -- will be required for your continued employment,\" New York Presbyterian's hospital president, and their executive vice president and chief operating officer said in a letter to staff. \"We want all of our team members to continue working with us, but we have to balance that with the imperative to protect our patients, employees and communities.\"

The move earned protest from the largest health care union in the U.S. Members of the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East said they shouldn't have to be vaccinated to keep their jobs -- especially if it risks losing front-line health workers at a time they're most needed. That mirrored some national unions' concerns about protecting individual freedoms -- and not forcing their workers to pay for government-enforced testing.

\"PHOTO:
Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
PHOTO: A nurse speaks with A patient in the COVID-19 unit inside Little Company of Mary Medical Center, July 30, 2021, in Torrance, Calif.
>

Experts note there's a fine line between requirements being \"part of what's going to nudge more people to get vaccinated,\" as Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told ABC's Start Here podcast, and pushing them away.

A full federal mandate might make hesitant and unvaccinated Americans \"dig in their heels\" further, Morita said.

\"Generally, with mandates of any kind, you want to do everything else possible before you mandate something,\" she said. \"But when the vaccine is free, it's accessible, and you're still struggling, then mandates make sense. But you really want to give people the chance to do it on their own.\"

The advent of more local mandates looms on the imminent horizon as soon as the vaccine is fully FDA-approved, which could come as soon as early September, a senior White House official familiar with the FDA approval process told ABC News.

Dr. Anthony Fauci called that moment a \"game-changer,\" one that will possibly provide more legal cover for companies to implement vaccine imperatives.

\"'My body, my choice' is not an ethic for a plague,\" Caplan said. \"The ethics of plague are, 'my body, vaccinated' -- more choices for everybody.\"

ABC News' Eric M. Strauss contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Health/months-vaccine-incentives-nation/story?id=79223933","legacySlug":"/wellness/story/months-vaccine-incentives-nation-79223933","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"10:00","publishDate":"08-06-2021","updatedTime":"15:09","updatedDate":"08-06-2021","socialImage":{"alt":"A firefighter paramedic administers a COVID-19 vaccination dose to a person at a vaccination event at Culver City Fire Department Station 1 on Aug. 05, 2021, in Culver City, Calif.","credit":"Mario Tama/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Health/vaccination-covid-gty-jt-210805_1628209882819_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"8/6/2021 10:00:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":79223933,"headline":"Nation changes course after vaccine incentives","mediaAssetTitle":"SHOULD YOU OPT OUT OF VACCINE MANDATES","description":"For the unvaccinated, life is about to get harder.","duration":"3:18","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/08/210806_gma_oquendo_0702_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Nation changes course after vaccine incentives","description":"For the unvaccinated, life is about to get harder.","duration":"3:18","uploadDate":"08-06-2021","publication":"08-06-2021","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/08/210806_gma_oquendo_0702_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/08/210806_gma_oquendo_0702_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/months-vaccine-incentives-nation-79223933"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Nation changes course after vaccine incentives","pubTime":"06:00","pubDate":"08-06-2021","modTime":"11:09","modDate":"08-06-2021","taxonomyTags":"none","id":79223933,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Nation changes course after vaccine incentives","mediaAssetTitle":"SHOULD YOU OPT OUT OF VACCINE MANDATES","videoId":79223933,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/wellness/story/months-vaccine-incentives-nation-79223933"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/79223933","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/79223933","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};