{"id":19930,"date":"2022-01-14T19:23:52","date_gmt":"2022-01-15T00:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=19930"},"modified":"2022-01-14T19:23:53","modified_gmt":"2022-01-15T00:23:53","slug":"scotusblog-supreme-court-takes-action-in-covid-19-vaccine-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/01\/14\/scotusblog-supreme-court-takes-action-in-covid-19-vaccine-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"SCOTUSBlog: Supreme Court takes action in COVID-19 vaccine cases"},"content":{"rendered":" \"U.S.<\/a>
Members of the Kansas National Guard speak with an officer from the U.S. Supreme Court during a COVID-19 related deployment to Washington, D.C., back in February 2021. Photo by Capt. Joe Legros \/ Michigan National Guard<\/a> <\/figcaption>\r\n
Fractured court blocks vaccine-or-test requirement for large workplaces but green-lights vaccine mandate for health care workers<\/div>\r\n
Friday, January 14, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Amy Howe<\/div>\r\n
SCOTUSBlog<\/div>\r\n
scotusblog.com<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nWith COVID-19<\/a> cases and hospitalizations reaching a new record high as a result of the Omicron variant, the Supreme Court on Thursday put the Biden administration\u2019s vaccine-or-test mandate for large employers on hold, while litigation over its legality continues in the lower courts. \r\n

<\/P>\r\nOver a dissent from the court\u2019s three liberal justices, the court ruled that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration exceeded its power<\/a> in issuing the mandate. Congress may have given OSHA the power to regulate workplace dangers, the court explained, but it \u201chas not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly.\u201d At the same time, the justices \u2013 by a vote of 5-4 \u2013 granted the administration\u2019s request<\/a> to be allowed to temporarily enforce a vaccine mandate for health care workers at facilities that receive federal funding.

<\/p>\r\nThe orders that the justices issued on Thursday afternoon were the latest chapter in the fast-moving vaccine disputes. After the cases came to the Supreme Court in December on an emergency basis, the justices opted to expedite the cases for oral argument<\/a> on whether the mandates can remain in place while the challenges proceed in the lower courts. The court heard nearly four hours of arguments<\/a> on the policies on January 7 and issued a pair of unsigned opinions just six days later.

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