WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is being asked to block a plan by Indiana University to require students and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It’s the first time the high court has been asked to weigh in on a vaccine mandate and comes as some corporations, states and cities are also contemplating or have adopted vaccine requirements for workers or even to dine indoors.
The case is not the first time a coronavirus-related issue has been before the court. In rulings over the past year, the conservative-dominated high court has largely backed religious groups that have challenged restrictions on indoor services during the cononavirus pandemic.
In the current case, however, a three-judge federal appeals court panel — including two judges appointed by former President Donald Trump — was one of two lower courts to side with Indiana University and allow it to require the vaccinations. The plan announced in May requires roughly 90,000 students and 40,000 employees on seven campuses to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester.
Students who don’t comply will have their registration canceled; workers who don’t will lose their jobs. The policy does have religious and medical exemptions, but exempt students must be tested twice a week for the disease. The school announced last week that for now, everyone — regardless of vaccination status — must wear a mask indoors while on campus.
