United CEO: Insisting on vaccines "right thing to do"

The boss of United Airlines has said that firing staff who refuse to get a coronavirus vaccine is "just the right thing to do". Around 300 of the airline's 67,000 US based staff are yet to comply with the strict policy, after an initial deadline of 27 September. Vaccine hesitancy has been a hugely divisive issue in the US but President Biden recently made it easier for big companies to take a tougher line. CEO Scott Kirby says United's strict policy is "about saving lives". He adds that "when I retire someday, hopefully long in the future, I will look back at this and it will be one of the proudest moments of my career that we've made the tough decision, but the right decision to require vaccines." More than 250 staff have complied with United's policy since last week's deadline. A further 2,000 employees have requested an exemption on medical or religious grounds. They haven't all been granted, but final numbers won't be clear until legal processes are resolved. Any dismissal process could take weeks or months as the company says it would follow agreements with trade unions.<br/>