Government: Vaccine rule should remain while cases play out

By GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press

The Biden administration is framing its vaccine mandate for private employers in life-and-death terms in a legal filing that sought to get the requirement back on track after it was halted by a federal court. Its filing in response to a stay issued over the weekend said there is no reason to rush into a ruling on whether the halt should be made permanent because the vaccine mandate won’t take effect until Jan. 4. Government lawyers said Monday that stopping the mandate from taking effect will only prolong the COVID-19 pandemic and would “cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day.” At least 27 states have filed legal challenges.