(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers will face another legal challenge, this time coming from Virginia Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares.
Youngkin and Miyares will join the legal battle to block the mandate after they are sworn into office in a little over a week. The legal challenge from the two Republicans is a departure from the current Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, who declined to challenge the president’s vaccine mandates.
If Biden’s mandate goes into effect, it will require healthcare facilities that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to require all workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. It was promulgated through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Healthcare groups have sued to block the mandate, warning that it could cause staffing shortages because some workers would leave their jobs before taking the vaccine.
“Instead of supporting state and local governments’ efforts to protect the lives and livelihoods of their citizens, the Biden administration has resorted to unlawful vaccine mandates that force hardworking Virginians to walk away from their paychecks,” a statement from the administration read. “President Biden's CMS mandate ignores the hospital systems' long-established policies designed to keep staff and patients safe and threatens the tenure of essential medical personnel at a time when staffing shortages threaten the health and safety of Virginians.”
Youngkin and Miyares said they support the vaccine, but oppose mandates that restrict freedoms.
“While we believe that the vaccine is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, we strongly believe that the Federal government cannot impose its will and restrict the freedoms of Americans and that Virginia is at its best when her people are allowed to make the best decisions for their families or businesses,” the statement read.
Youngkin and Miyares also intend to join the legal fight against Biden’s vaccine mandates on employers that have 100 or more employees and the vaccine mandate for Head Start programs. The mandate on businesses was promulgated through OSHA.