The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Biden’s vaccine injunction

By Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the Biden administration’s nationwide lawsuit over the COVID-19 vaccine or test order and a separate vaccination requirement for health care workers.

A short court order said the court will hear oral arguments on Jan. 7 in both cases, with the verdict likely to continue in the short term.

The court, which has a 6-3 Conservative majority, delayed emergency requests in both cases requiring an immediate decision. The workplace order is in effect nationwide, and the health care worker order is blocked in half of all 50 U.S. states.

The challenges came to the Supreme Court as the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, with public health officials facing a “wave” of U.S. cases.

An appeals court on Friday approved the entry into force of a mandate for a workplace that includes 80 million U.S. workers, and challenged the policy of requiring businesses, states and other groups to block the Supreme Court.

The other case is that the administration continues to charge the health workers of facilities that treat federally funded Medicare and Medicaid patients for receiving shots while the lawsuit continues.

The Biden administration asked the court to allow the policy to take effect in 24 states that were blocked by the lower courts. He is also locked in Texas in another case that is not before the judges.

President Joe Biden introduced regulations in September to increase the rate of adult vaccination as a way to deal with the pandemic, which has killed more than 800,000 Americans and weighed on the economy.

Challenges include 27 Republican-led states, several corporate and business groups, and two religious entities, including Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Business challengers include the National Federation of Independent Businesses, a trade group that represents small businesses.

Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati overturned a November order blocking the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule that applies to companies with at least 100 employees.

Health care regulations, mostly questioned by Republican-led states, also required that more than 2 million unvaccinated health care workers should receive their first vaccine dose by December 6th.

Medicare and Medicaid are federal programs that provide health care to the elderly, the disabled, or people on low incomes.