The Delta coronavirus variant continues to spread, particularly in parts of the west, southwest, and Midwest, according to recent data by the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

What Happened: Despite the fast economic recovery, the Delta variant appears to be slowing growth — particularly disrupting supply chains — and killing people, with deaths rising in America and increasing precipitously abroad in places like Indonesia, according to the BBC.

As the Biden administration considers a vaccine mandate for federal workers, many large corporations are one step ahead, either heavily incentivizing or outright mandating vaccinations for their employees.

Why It Matters: Many tech-related companies are trying to play their part and increase the rate of vaccinations in the U.S., which has slowed significantly since June.

“Getting vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep ourselves and our communities healthy in the months ahead," Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai recently wrote on the company’s blog.

Delta Airlines (NYSE:DAL) has not required vaccinations for all employees, but all new employees are required to be vaccinated.

The Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, will require all of its employees to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination by mid-September as a condition of employment. 

Amazon (NYSE:AMZN) is not requiring vaccinations, but told unvaccinated employees returning to offices they must wear masks.

Microsoft (NYSE:MSFT) and Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) are not requiring vaccinations for employees, but the two companies are also not requiring employees to return to the office in-person.

What's Next: It remains to be seen how the mandated vaccinations of major tech companies will impact the rest of corporate America and American society at large, but it could incentivize others around the country to get vaccinated and slow the deadly variant.