Appeals Court Refuses to Stop Maine Vaccine Mandate, Organization Mulls Turning to Supreme Court

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals connected Friday refused to contented an exigency injunction to halt Maine’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The three-judge sheet of the Boston-based tribunal issued a one-sentence connection saying the petition was denied without an explanation, The Bangor Daily News reported.

A last ruling volition apt beryllium issued adjacent week, according to Liberty Counsel, an enactment representing much than 2,000 health attraction workers crossed the authorities successful the lawsuit.

“We look guardant to a determination from the Court of Appeals. If that determination is not favorable, we volition petition exigency alleviation from the Supreme Court,” Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said successful a statement.

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey applauded the decision.

“We are pleased with the determination and volition proceed to vigorously support the request that wellness attraction workers successful Maine beryllium vaccinated against COVID-19,” helium said successful a connection obtained by The Hill.

The Epoch Times reached retired to Frey’s bureau for comments.

Maine Governor Janet Mills attends the Climate Action Summit 2019 successful the United Nations General Assembly Hall successful New York, N.Y., connected Sept. 23, 2019. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, announced her state’s mandate connected Aug. 12 that workers person until Oct. 29 to comply.

Exemptions were allowed for aesculapian reasons. Unlike astir states, Maine does not let for spiritual oregon philosophical exemptions to vaccine requirements.

The program was challenged by a radical of healthcare workers who said they opposed COVID-19 vaccines due to the fact that immoderate vaccines were developed from compartment lines of aborted fetuses. The workers besides sued respective healthcare companies wherever they work.

U.S. territory justice Jon Levy ruled connected Wednesday that Maine tin barroom spiritual exemptions to its request that healthcare workers successful the authorities get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Levy, who was nominated by erstwhile President Barack Obama, said the healthcare workers who brought the lawsuit person not been prevented from staying existent to their spiritual beliefs, though refusing the vaccine volition outgo them their jobs.

Maine removed spiritual exemptions from mandated vaccines successful 2019 and voters overwhelmingly rejected a referendum challenging the instrumentality past year. As a result, the COVID-19 vaccine mandate is accordant with authorities instrumentality and does not azygous retired religion, Levy said.

The Liberty Counsel and wellness attraction workers appealed to the 1st circuit aft Levy’s ruling.

Reuters contributed to the report.