Supreme Court to hear challenges to vaccine mandates – National & International News – THU 23Dec2021

Supreme Court to rule on vaccine requirements. FDA approves two new anti-COVID pills. Ukraine-Russia hostilities on hold, for now.

NATIONAL NEWS

Supreme Court to hear challenges to vaccine requirements

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear legal challenges to federal vaccine requirements for large employers. Last month, OSHA issued new regulations for private employers with more than 100 employees. These companies must require either vaccines or masks and weekly testing for unvaccinated workers. The requirements are set to take effect early next year.

The court will also consider challenges a second federal requirement for healthcare facilities treating Medicare and Medicaid patients to mandate vaccines for its workers. This regulation offers no testing option. As of now, the requirement is already in effect in 26 states, but federal rulings have blocked its enforcement in 24 states. 

Business groups and attorneys general in several states have challenged the mandates. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on January 7.

It’s difficult to predict which way the court will rule. While the sitting court has not been shy about tacitly supporting conservative and religious positions on issues such as abortion, the Justices have so far largely backed various vaccine mandates. The court recently rejected requests for religious exemptions to vaccine mandates for nurses in Maine and New York.

Omicron reaches all 50 states in less than a month

The arguments come at a pivotal moment as the U.S. faces yet another wave of COVID infections from the omicron variant. The variant’s rapid spread has health officials worried. Two studies from the UK have concluded that the likelihood of hospitalization with the omicron variant is either 20% or 30% less than with the delta variant. Another study from South Africa, where omicron was first identified, pointed to a 70% reduction.

But the infectiousness of the omicron variant may end up canceling out any upside from its milder symptoms. Hospitals across the country are already struggling with staffing and space shortages due to omicron outbreaks.

There is some good news! 

The FDA has issued emergency use authorizations for two oral antiviral pills that have proven effective in reducing symptoms and hospitalizations for COVID patients. The first is Pfizer’s Paxlovid, which studies show is about 90% effective in reducing symptoms and preventing hospitalization when taken within the first five days of symptoms appearing. The second is Merck’s Molnupiravir. Monupiravir is not as effective as Paxlovid (only about 30%) but clinicians may prescribe it if Paxlovid isn’t available.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Ukraine-Russia hostilities on hold, for now

Ukrainian and Russian officials have agreed to revive a 2020 ceasefire agreement in Eastern Ukraine in time for the holidays. In recent weeks, there have been scattered skirmishes between Ukrainian military and Russian separatists in those regions. Last week, a Ukrainian soldier was killed when Russian separatists fired mortars and other ordinance at a military position.

In a lengthy end-of-year press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the West, and in particular the U.S. and NATO for the escalating tensions. Last week, the Kremlin issued a number of demands for de-escalation, including the halt of NATO’s spread into Eastern Europe and a legally-binding moratorium on installing certain types of offensive weapons in countries bordering Russia. Putin said that if the West wants peace, “the ball is in their court”.

Recently, President Biden has held remote talks with Putin. Putin has proposed dates for yet more talks after the first of the year. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the U.S. remains open to diplomatic solutions. But the White House opposes the types of guarantees Putin is asking for.

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