The Supreme Court declined to block a requirement for Maine’s health workers in doctor’s offices, nursing homes, and hospitals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, despite not offering religious exemption as an option.
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer denied the emergency appeal, but justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas dissented. Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barret, two other Supreme Court conservatives, agreed that the court should not take the case without a full briefing.
State officials enforced the rule on Friday. However, this was challenged by health care workers due to the mandate’s exclusion of offering the ability to request a religious exemption.
In the past, Maine allowed religious exemptions for daycare employees, health care workers, college students, and schoolchildren. However, all non-medical vaccination exemptions were eliminated by the state in 2019, because of the rapid spread of communicable diseases.
When the COVID-19 vaccine for employees was required, a healthcare workers group objected because they believed that the vaccine contains fetal cells in elective abortions.
However, none of the vaccines contain actual fetal cells. According to Moderna and Pfizer, during their vaccine testing stages, they used replicated fetal cells taken 50 years ago. Johnson and Johnson were using a different cell line.
Lawyers told the Supreme Court that the law applies to all health care workers, and is not intended to discriminate against a particular religious practice. State officials said that the COVID vaccine for employees and healthcare facilities is the most effective tool in preventing the spread of the virus.
The object of the recent amendment to the rule is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among healthcare workers in high-risk settings, protect patients and individuals from disease and death, and protect Maine’s healthcare system.
Gorsuch said the state does not give the healthcare workers equal treatment because those with medical conditions can refuse the vaccine, but those with religious objections can not. The Supreme Court Justice wrote that the case had a serious error because many states have a religious exemption for the COVID vaccine.
Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Sources:
NBC News: Supreme Court declines to block vaccine mandate for health workers in Maine; by Pete Williams
USA Today: Supreme Court won’t stop COVID-19 vaccine mandate for Maine health care workers; by John Fritze
Yahoo!: Supreme Court declines to block vaccine mandate for health workers in Maine
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of John Brighenti’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of jpellgen’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Discover more from Guardian Liberty Voice
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
10 Responses
Thank you for this article
you are really a good webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. In addition, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a magnificent job on this topic!
Thank you for some other informative website. The place else may just I am getting that kind of information written in such a perfect approach? I have a project that I am simply now running on, and I have been on the look out for such info.
Hello there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I genuinely enjoy reading through your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Thanks a ton!
I used to be very happy to find this internet-site.I needed to thanks on your time for this wonderful read!! I undoubtedly enjoying each little little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
Hello.This post was really interesting, especially because I was browsing for thoughts on this issue last Saturday.
Hey there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!
I’ve learned result-oriented things through the blog post. Also a thing to I have noticed is that normally, FSBO sellers will probably reject a person. Remember, they can prefer to not ever use your solutions. But if anyone maintain a gentle, professional romance, offering guide and being in contact for around four to five weeks, you will usually have the capacity to win a business interview. From there, a listing follows. Thanks
As I web site possessor I believe the content material here is rattling fantastic , appreciate it for your hard work. You should keep it up forever! Best of luck.
I just couldn’t go away your site prior to suggesting that I really loved the usual information an individual
provide to your visitors? Is going to be again incessantly
to check out new posts