Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Seeking To Block Air Travel Mask Mandate

Axios: Chief Justice John Roberts Rejects Air Travel Mask Mandate Block Request 
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Thursday dismissed an emergency request to block the federal mask mandate for air travel amid litigation in the lower courts. Michael Seklecki, a Florida resident, filed a lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration on behalf of himself and his 4-year-old son, and Lucas Wall, from Washington joined the suit, all citing medical reasons. (Falconer, 12/10)

In related travel news —

The Washington Post: Amtrak Likely To Cut Service Over Coronavirus Vaccine Rules 
An Amtrak executive told Congress on Thursday the railroad doesn’t expect to have enough people to operate all of its trains next month, when a federal coronavirus vaccination mandate takes effect. Amtrak President Stephen Gardner said about 5 percent of its workforce has yet to get vaccinated less than four weeks before the Jan. 4 deadline. (Lazo, 12/9)

In other news about covid mandates —

Crain's Detroit Business: Employers Should Prep For Possibility Federal COVID Vaccination Mandates Pass Legal Muster, Experts Say
With all three federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate rules held up in court, employers are left in limbo. Prior to the court injunctions, health systems, federal contractors and employers with 100 or more employees were obligated to have in place a mandate in place for their employees by Jan. 4. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule allowed employers to also install a weekly testing regimen for unvaccinated employees. The other two federal rules prohibit the testing portion. (Walsh, 12/9)

Dallas Morning News: Texas Governor Urges Workers To Report Employers ‘Illegally’ Mandating Vaccines For Prosecution
Texas businesses received a letter from the Texas Workforce Commission on Wednesday reminding them of the governor’s executive order restricting their ability to mandate vaccines for workers. The letter also urges workers to report their employers to a newly created hotline and email address if they are subjected to a vaccine mandate at work that would violate the executive order. Verified tips will be passed along to “the appropriate authorities for prosecution,” the letter states. “Since day one, the state of Texas has taken a stand against the federal government’s unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the workplace, three of which have since been deemed illegal by federal courts,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. (DiFurio, 12/9)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Could Require COVID Vaccine Proof For Indoor Dining
Philadelphia officials are considering implementing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate at all indoor dining establishments, requiring both patrons and employees to show proof of vaccination, according to two sources briefed on the matter. The proposed mandate would bring Philly closer in line with cities like New York and San Francisco that have required proof of vaccination since August for entry at restaurants and indoor events. According to sources who were briefed by Philadelphia officials this week, the mandate would likely include standard exemptions for religious and medical reasons, as well as for children under 5. (Marin and McCrystal, 12/9)

AP: SC GOP Removes Private COVID-19 Vaccine Ban In Sudden Switch
For five hours Thursday, the South Carolina House debated a proposal to prevent private companies in South Carolina from firing employees who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Then, just before members were set to vote, Republican leadership stripped that ban from the bill, leaving it only banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates for state and local government employees, contractors and public school students. (Collins, 12/10)

AP: St. Louis County Rescinds Mask Mandate After Judge's Ruling
Weeks after a Missouri judge barred public mask mandates issued by local health departments, the state’s largest county, St. Louis County, rescinded its. The county’s decision was announced Thursday during a court hearing in a lawsuit filed by Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. The lawsuit filed in July was in response to a previous mask mandate aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. (12/9)

St. Louis Public Radio: Experts Say Missouri Health Ruling Doesn’t Apply To Schools 
Many St. Louis-area school districts will not lift mask mandates and other health orders, despite a call to do so from Missouri’s attorney general. In response to a letter from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, multiple school districts in the region said a court ruling invalidating health orders does not apply to them, because they did not enact those orders using the authority that was ruled unconstitutional. (Grumke, 12/9)

KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Much Ado About (Vaccine) Mandates 
Even with the new omicron variant of the covid virus spreading in the U.S., Republicans on Capitol Hill are pushing to stop President Joe Biden from requiring workers to either be tested regularly or vaccinated. The effort is likely to end in failure — even if it reaches Biden’s desk, he has vowed to veto it. But apparently Republicans think the effort will boost their popularity with their base. Meanwhile, Congress is also moving to block scheduled Medicare cuts, and the Supreme Court heard two health cases that are not about abortion. (12/9)