Lifestyle Health Howard Stern Slams Anti-Vaxxers as He Calls for Vaccine Mandate: 'I Want My Freedom to Live' "You had the cure and you wouldn't take it," Howard Stern said Tuesday on his SiriusXM radio show, as he slammed anti-vaxxers and called for a vaccine mandate By Glenn Garner Glenn Garner Instagram Twitter Glenn Garner is a Writer/Reporter who works heavily with PEOPLE's Movies and TV verticals. Since graduating from Northern Arizona University with a dual major in journalism and photography, he got his professional start at OUT Magazine, The Advocate and Teen Vogue, and he's since consistently kept his finger on the pulse of the LGBTQ community. His first book The Guncle Guide was released in 2020 and was featured on Katie Couric's list of 100 recommended books of the year. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 9, 2021 07:05 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Howard Stern is not pulling punches when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. The famed media personality, 67, referenced the recent deaths of several anti-vaxxer radio hosts on Tuesday's episode of his SiriusXM show, slamming their misinformation and calling for a vaccine mandate. "When are we gonna stop putting up with the idiots in this country and just say it's mandatory to get vaccinated? F— 'em. F— their freedom. I want my freedom to live," Stern said. "I want to get out of the house already. I want to go next door and play chess. I want to go take some pictures. This is bull—." Conservative Radio Host Who Called Himself 'Mr. Anti-Vax' Dies from COVID After 3 Week Battle He also called out unvaccinated "imbeciles" for overwhelming hospitals during the pandemic. "The other thing I hate is that all these people with COVID who won't get vaccinated are in the hospitals clogging it up," Stern said. "So like, if you have a heart attack or any kind of problem, you can't even get into the E.R.," he mused. "And I'm really of mind to say, 'Look, if you didn't get vaccinated [and] you got COVID, you don't get into a hospital.' " Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock "Go f— yourself," Stern added. "You had the cure and you wouldn't take it." President Joe Biden expressed similar sentiments (in a more diplomatic language) on Thursday, as he imposed a sweeping new vaccine mandate in response to the latest COVID-19 surge. "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin," he said. As part of the executive order that could impact up to 100 million Americans, the Labor Department will require businesses that employ 100 or more people to ensure that all employees are vaccinated or are tested once a week. The order also extends to all federal employees and contractors, without the option of weekly tests. Additionally, educators in federal Head Start programs, as well as healthcare workers at facilities that receive funds from Medicare and Medicaid, will be required to get vaccinated against coronavirus. RELATED VIDEO: FDA Grants Full Approval to Pfizer's COVID Vaccine "While America is in much better shape than it was seven months ago when I took office, I need to tell you a second fact: We're in a tough stretch and it could last for a while," Biden added. Biden's latest executive order on the COVID-19 pandemic is his most dramatic yet, after first laying out his plan to get Americans vaccinated in January. With the Delta variant continuing to spread, there are still an estimated 80 million eligible Americans that have yet to be inoculated, according to the White House.