Biden's vaccine mandate could be a shot in the arm for U.S. economy, experts say

President Joe Biden's sweeping vaccine mandate aims to protect more Americans from COVID-19 by requiring that millions of employees at large companies get the shot. Beyond boosting public health, the mandate has another goal: To get the U.S. economic recovery back on track after the Delta variant's spread crimped job growth and consumer confidence. 

"We cannot let the unvaccinated [undo] this progress," Mr. Biden said on Thursday when he announced the mandate, noting that the spike in COVID-19 cases has slowed the nation's recovery.  In Mr. Biden's eyes, the vaccine mandate — which requires all employers with 100 or more employees ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative COVID test at least once a week — will not only protect lives, but the economy. And economists say the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant has underscored that the economy isn't likely to fully recover until the public health crisis is contained. Already, states with low vaccination rates are witnessing slower job growth than states where more of the population is vaccinated, according to some economic data.