U.S. appeals court affirms hold on Biden COVID-19 vaccine mandate

[November 13, 2021]    (Reuters) -A U.S. appeals court on Friday affirmed its decision to put on hold an order by President Joe Biden for companies with 100 workers or more to require COVID-19 vaccines, rejecting a challenge by his administration.

President Joe Biden departs for Camp David for the weekend from the White House in Washington, U.S., November 12, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld the ruling despite the Biden administration saying on Monday that halting implementation of the rule could lead to the deaths of dozens or even hundreds of workers.

The government has been sued by private employers, religious organizations and U.S. states saying it was exceeding its authority.

The rule was issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and mandates that businesses with at least 100 employees require staff get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly and wear a mask.

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; editing by Grant McCool)

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.