Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, responding to what he called "bullying" by the Biden administration, has barred all Covid-19 vaccine mandates in the US state by any entity, including private employers.

Abbott's move sets him up for a clash with President Joe Biden, a Democrat who last month called on businesses nationwide to order their workers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. At least several thousand people have since been fired for refusing to comply.

"In another instance of federal overreach, the Biden administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing Covid-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas' continued recovery from the Covid-19 disaster," Abbott said in an executive order.

Read more from Reuters here.