The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a challenge brought by Maine health care workers to the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, signaling the justices are not inclined to weigh state requirements on COVID shots.
A group of Maine health care workers had asked the Supreme Court to halt the vaccine requirement in the state, where more than 2,000 nurses and medical techs oppose the Democratic governor’s requirement to get vaccinated or be fired. Workers were required to be vaccinated by the end of October.
They argued the mandate from Gov. Janet Mills runs afoul of federal law because it does not provide them with a religious exemption to the shot.
At least three state vaccine mandate challenges have come before the justices, but the high court has not been inclined to jump into the debate over state shot requirements during the global health pandemic.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett refused to grant an injunction in August to students at the University of Indiana who challenged the school’s requirement for them to get the shot. Justice Sonia Sotomayor also rejected a request in October to block the vaccine requirement for New York City public school teachers.
Last month, though, the justices blocked the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement and testing for large businesses, saying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had overstepped its authority without explicit congressional approval.
The justices, however, allowed the federal shot mandate for health care workers at facilities that accept government insurance programs to remain in effect.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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