Biden’s Health Worker Vax Mandate Partly Revived By Appeals Court
And a case over the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for large private companies has been punted to a smaller three judge panel. Meanwhile, the Navy is now dismissing sailors who refused to get shots, with about 5,700 active-duty service members currently unvaxxed.
The Hill:
Court Reinstates Health Worker Coronavirus Vaccine Mandate In Half Of US
A federal appeals court on Wednesday effectively revived a Biden administration vaccine mandate for health workers at hospitals that receive federal funding in roughly half of the U.S. The procedural ruling by the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit temporarily scaled back a nationwide injunction put in place by a Louisiana-based federal judge late last month. (Kruzel, 12/15)
The Washington Post:
Biden's Vaccine Policy For Private Companies To Be Reviewed By Three-Judge Panel
A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected requests to initially review the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine or testing requirements for large private companies with a full complement of judges and will instead handle the case with the usual three-judge panel. The decision divided the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit and drew sharp dissents from a pair of judges who used the opportunity to express deep concerns about the legality of the administration’s policy, which is set to take effect Jan. 4. (Marimow, 12/15)
In military news —
Politico:
Navy Starts Kicking Out Sailors For Refusing Covid Vaccine As Republicans Rage Over Mandate
The Navy has begun kicking out sailors who refuse to get the Covid-19 vaccine, but it won’t slap dishonorable discharges on anyone for their decision to ignore a direct order. Overall, 5,731 active-duty sailors remain unvaccinated, and at this point Navy officials say they believe most of those will likely continue to refuse the order, weeks after the Nov. 28 deadline for full vaccination. (McLeary and Forgey, 12/15)
The Washington Post:
Vaccine Mandate: Republican Governors In Five States Object To National Guard Requirement
Five Republican governors have asked the Pentagon to withdraw its requirement for all National Guard members to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, expanding the front of GOP resistance to President Biden’s directives that the federal workforce and government contractors be immunized. Governors from Iowa, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi and Nebraska on Tuesday signed a joint letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying they agree he has authority to impose requirements on service members under federal control. That includes National Guard troops — ordinarily under the state command — when they are mobilized for duty beyond their borders, such as overseas deployments. (Horton, 12/15)
In other updates on covid mandates —
AP:
New California Rules End Distinction For Vaccinated Workers
Workplace regulators are poised on Thursday to extend California’s coronavirus pandemic regulations into next year with some revisions that business groups say could worsen the labor shortage. The main change to the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board’s revised temporary rule is that it would erase current distinctions between vaccinated and unvaccinated employees. Both would be barred from the workplace if they come in close contact with someone with the virus. (Thompson, 12/16)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Are California’s Strict COVID Mandates Working? Here’s What The Data Shows
With California approaching an unfathomable milestone of 75,000 coronavirus deaths and 5 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, many are wondering if the state’s many mitigation measures — some of the most stringent in the nation — have made a tangible difference in reducing the toll of the virus. On Wednesday, Californians adjusted to new rules requiring everyone to mask up again in indoor public settings for at least a month, regardless of vaccination status — with a few regional exemptions — to blunt the impact of another winter surge. (Vaziri and Neilson, 12/15)
The CT Mirror:
Connecticut's Digital Vaccine Cards Are Voluntary, Not A Passport
A digital COVID-19 vaccination card available from the state Department of Public Health will be promoted as a convenience and is not the harbinger of a mandatory vaccine passport, Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday. Theaters, sports tournaments and some colleges now require patrons and visitors to show proof of vaccination, but the governor said he is adamantly opposed to a state mandate requiring anyone to show a paper or digital vaccination card. “Mandates, sometimes you just create a lot of pushback,” said Lamont, who notes Connecticut’s vaccination rate is high. “Right now, we’ve got the wind to our back in terms of people doing the right thing.” (Pazniokas, 12/15)
