>>> AS WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING,
THE FIRST DOSES OF THE
CORONAVIRUS VACCINE ARE BEING
SHIPPED THIS MORNING, TWO DAYS
AFTER THE FDA ISSUED AN
EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FOR
THE VACCINE DEVELOPED BY PFIZER.
IT'S A STUNNING SCIENTIFIC
ACHIEVEMENT REACHED IN LESS THAN
A YEAR.
NOW, ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
CONVINCING PEOPLE TO TAKE IT.
POLLS SHOW MANY AMERICANS ARE
SKEPTICAL OF THE VACCINE,
RAISING THE QUESTION OF WHETHER
IT MAY BE MANDATED IN SOME
PLACES, INCLUDING WHERE YOU
WORK.
>> Reporter: WITH THE FIRST
BATCH OF VACCINES ROLLING OUT
TODAY, WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY ARE WAKING UP TO A NEW
QUESTION.
WILL MY EMPLOYER REQUIRE ME TO
GET THESE TWO SHOTS?
FOR 13 MILLION MANUFACTURING
WORKERS, THE ANSWER MAY BE YES.
>> WE CAN'T OPERATE FULLY UNLESS
WE HAVE THAT WIDESPREAD IMMUNITY
THAT CAN ONLY COME WITH A
VACCINE.
THE VACCINE IS ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL.
>> Reporter: HOW DOES IT AFFECT
THE BOTTOM LINE OF A COMPANY?
>> MANUFACTURERS HAVE TO OPERATE
IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS
COUNTRY HEALED, IF WE'RE GOING
TO DISTRIBUTE PPE AND MEDICAL
SUPPLIES.
IF THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO REQUIRE
VACCINES, THEN WE WILL REQUIRE
VACCINES.
>> Reporter: NOT ALL AMERICANS
ARE READY YET.
ONE NEW POLL SHOWS ONLY 47% OF
AMERICANS PLAN TO GET VACCINATED
WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
26% DO NOT.
27% ARE UNSURE.
SOME BIG COMPANIES LIKE FACEBOOK
DON'T PLAN TO MANDATE IT.
MARK ZUCKERBERG TELLING
EMPLOYEES, AT THIS POINT, WE
DON'T THINK IT WILL BE NECESSARY
TO REQUIRE A VACCINE TO RETURN
TO WORK.
DELTA AIRLINES HAS NOT DECIDED
YET.
>> I THINK FOR INTERNATIONAL
TRAVEL, IT WILL BECOME A
REQUIREMENT.
WHETHER IT'S THE AIRLINE OR SOME
INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITIES DO IT.
WE WILL STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT
AIRLINE EMPLOYEES ALL GET
VACCINATED.
>> Reporter: BOTH CEOs SAY THEY
ARE CONFIDENT IN THE VACCINE AND
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING IT
THEMSELVES.
LINDSEY RYAN HELPS EMPLOYERS
COMPLY WITH STATE AND FEDERAL
LAW.
IS IT LEGAL TO MANDATE WORKERS
GET A VACCINE?
>> THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION IS THAT WHEN FDA FULLY
APPROVED THE VACCINE, IT SHOULD
BE LEGAL FOR EMPLOYERS TO
MANDATE THE VACCINE FOR THEIR
EMPLOYEES.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS WORKERS
COULD OPT OUT CITING A
DISABILITY, MEDICAL CONCERNS
LIKE AN ALLERGIC REACTION OR A
SINCERELY HELD RELIGIOUS BELIEF
UNTIL TITLE 7 OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT.
FEAR OR DOUBT ALONE WILL NOT BE
AN EXCUSE.
>> EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE A FEAR
BECAUSE OF HOW NEW IT IS AND
BECAUSE OF HOW LITTLE
INFORMATION THEY HAVE, THAT'S
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SUFFICE TO
QUALIFY FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM
THE VACCINATION.
>> Reporter: CAN A COMPANY FIRE
SOMEONE OR LET SOMEONE GO IF
THEY HAVE A VACCINE REQUIREMENT
AND THE EMPLOYEE SAYS, I'M GOOD,
I DON'T WANT TO DO IT?
>> IF THEY HAVE A LAWFUL,
MANDATORY VACCINE POLICY,
SOMEBODY REFUSES THE VACCINE,
THAT EMPLOYER WOULD BE ABLE TO
TERMINATE THEM.
THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK
THAT MANY EMPLOYERS WILL HAVE A
STRICT POLICY.
BUT THERE COULD BE OTHER
CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS YOU HAVE TO
CONTINUE WORKING REMOTELY OR YOU
HAVE TO GO ON AN UNPAID LEAVE.
>> Reporter: A NEW CHAPTER IN
CALLING THE SHOTS FOR THE NEXT
STEP INTO THE NEW NORMAL.
>> GOOD MORNING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
THIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
A MIXED BAG OF RESPONSES FROM
COMPANIES THERE.
WHAT ARE EXPERTS ADVISING THE
BIG COMPANIES TO DO?
>> GOOD MORNING.
LEGAL EXPERTS WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO SAID VACCINE
REQUIREMENTS, THEY MAY NOT GO
OVER VERY WELL GIVEN THE EARLY
STAGE OF THE VACCINE.
LABOR LAWYERS ARE RECOMMENDING
THAT COMPANIES STRONGLY
ENCOURAGE IT THROUGH EDUCATION,
EASY ACCESS AT THE WORKPLACE
EVENTUALLY.
A REMINDER, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
WHAT DR. FAUCI SAYS.
UNTIL 75% TO 80% OF THE
WORKPLACE IS VACCINATED, YOU
STILL HAVE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL
DISTANCING, WEARING OUR MASKS
AND ALL OF THE OTHER SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ADHERING TO THIS ENTIRE TIME.
>> WE SHOULD REMIND PEOPLE,
THAT'S MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT YOU
MAKE THERE.
BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, WE WANT TO
CONGRATULATE YOU, SCOTT AND
MARY.
YOU ARE EXPECTING BABY TWO.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE SO THRILLED.
WE ARE A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT
HAVING TWO, BUT WE FEEL LUCKY TO
HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS
IN THIS ROUGH YEAR.
THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE TWO OURSELVES.
IT'S THE BEST THING