Delta Air Lines To Charge, Unvaccinated Employees, $200 per Month.<br />Delta Air Lines will charge employees on the company health plan $200 a month if they are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.<br />Delta Air Lines will charge employees on the company health plan $200 a month if they are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.<br />CEO Ed Bastian said the measure is necessary because the average hospital stay for the virus costs the airline $40,000.<br />CEO Ed Bastian said the measure is necessary because the average hospital stay for the virus costs the airline $40,000.<br />According to NPR, the airline also said that starting <br />Sept. 30, it will stop extending pay protection to unvaccinated workers who contract COVID-19.<br />According to NPR, the airline also said that starting <br />Sept. 30, it will stop extending pay protection to unvaccinated workers who contract COVID-19.<br />All unvaccinated workers will be required to take weekly tests beginning Sept. 12. Delta Air Lines will reportedly cover the cost.<br />Additionally, unvaccinated workers will have to wear masks in all indoor company settings.<br />This surcharge will be necessary <br />to address the financial risk <br />the decision to not vaccinate <br />is creating for our company, Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airlines, via NPR.<br />Bastian said that 75% of Delta Air Lines employees have now been vaccinated, up from 72% in mid-July.<br />He said the aggressiveness of the delta variant, "means we need to get many more of our people vaccinated, and as close to 100% as possible.".<br />He said the aggressiveness of the delta variant, "means we need to get many more of our people vaccinated, and as close to 100% as possible.".<br />In the U.S., new cases of COVID-19 are at over 150,000 <br />a day, the highest level since late January.<br />Other airlines have blamed the virus <br />for fewer customers booking flights.<br />Other airlines have blamed the virus <br />for fewer customers booking flights.<br />U.S. air travel remains down over 20% <br />from before the pandemic in 2019
