ATLANTA : Delta says it will begin requiring new employees to have been vaccinated for COVID-19, the company announced Thursday. A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines released a statement saying,

We know that vaccines are the best tool we have to protect one another and bring an end to the pandemic. Delta people have made great progress to achieve herd immunity within our workforce, so to help us maintain that trajectory, we will be requiring all new hires in the U.S. to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they qualify for an accommodation. This is an important move to protect our workforce and our customers as our business recovers and demand for air travel continues to rise.

— Delta Air Lines Spokesperson Elizabeth Ninomiya