Federal workers must be vaccinated or submit to Covid testing and distancing

Rule would affect more than 2m civilian employees, but Republicans continue to block preventive measures

Joe Biden was poised on Thursday to announce that all civilian federal workers must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or face regular testing and stringent physical distancing, masking and travel restrictions.

Facing a political test as the Delta variant cuts a swath through unvaccinated Americans, the president was set to put the government in a position of leading by example and offer a potential model to corporate employers.