United Airlines says more than 97% of its U.S.-based employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 now that there is less than a week before a deadline to get the shots or get fired. The airline said Wednesday that the new figure does not include a “small number” of employees who are seeking a medical or religious exemption from vaccination. “Vaccine requirements work,” United said in a memo to employees. The airline said last month that up to 90% of pilots and nearly 80% of flight attendants were vaccinated, but it did not give a companywide figure at the time. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] United said it will start termination proceedings against unvaccinated employees as soon as next Tuesday. The airline is among a small group of companies that announced they would require vaccinations even before Sept.