U.S. Navy sending team to Methodist Hospital to help with rising COVID-19 cases
Federal officials are sending a 20-person U.S. Navy team to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis to help relieve overwhelmed staffers at Indiana’s largest hospital.
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EXPLAINER: Must employers follow Biden’s vaccine mandates?
Tens of millions of workers across the U.S. are in limbo as federal courts have issued different rulings related to President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for larger private companies, certain health care workers and federal government contractors.
COVID-19 omicron variant confirmed in 1st Indiana patient
Tests have confirmed Indiana’s first known case of the COVID-19 omicron variant, state health officials announced Sunday.
Indiana lawmakers take up vaccine limits amid COVID-19 surge
Some Indiana doctors and health experts warned Thursday that a Republican-backed proposal aimed at limiting workplace COVID-19 vaccination requirements would hurt efforts to stem the illness as the state’s hospitals are strained with their highest-ever overall patient counts.
Justice Department asks high court to allow vaccine mandate
The Biden administration late Thursday asked the Supreme Court to block lower court orders that are keeping President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for health care workers from going into effect in about half of the states.
CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 shots over J&J’s
Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health officials said Thursday.
Health worker vaccine mandate blocked in half the states
A federal appeals court panel on Wednesday lifted a nationwide ban against President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for health care workers, instead blocking the requirement in only certain states and creating the potential for patchwork enforcement across the country.
Legislation pits religious freedoms against employer rights
It’s one of the trickiest paths an employer must tread: when to make allowances for workers who express sincerely held religious views on matters ranging from work schedules to dress and grooming practices. And for the past year, Indiana employers have faced one more sensitive area: whether to enforce COVID-19 vaccination mandates on workers who say the vaccines violate their religious beliefs.
National Guard helping virus-sapped states, hospitals
More U.S. states desperate to defend against COVID-19 are calling on the National Guard and other military personnel to assist virus-weary medical staffs at hospitals and other care centers.
Indiana Sen. Braun backs businesses setting vaccine rules
An Indiana senator heading a congressional fight against President Joe Biden’s proposed federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates said Wednesday he was against state-level efforts to block businesses from imposing their own workplace vaccination requirements.
Judge blocks Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors, the latest in a string of victories for Republican-led states pushing back against Biden’s pandemic policies.
Holcomb frustrated with ‘absurd’ vaccine-refusal reasons
With Indiana’s COVID-19 hospitalizations doubling in the past month, Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb expressed frustration Tuesday at the “absurd” reasons some cite for refusing vaccinations, although he isn’t offering any new state actions to combat the spread of the virus.
Hospitals set new pandemic record, with 70% of staffed beds in use
The latest surge in COVID-19 cases is taking its toll on Indiana hospitals, which set a new record over the weekend with 70% of all staffed hospital beds currently in use.
House GOP again tries to expedite bill to limit vaccine mandates, will hold hearing on Dec. 16
Efforts to advance state legislation that would restrict employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates took another unusual turn Friday as Republican leaders scheduled a House committee hearing on the bill for later this month, more than two weeks before the formal legislative session kicks off.
Senate passes stopgap funding bill, avoiding shutdown
The Senate has passed a stopgap spending bill that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18, after leaders defused a partisan standoff over federal vaccine mandates. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
Holcomb again extends public health emergency in Indiana
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday signed executive orders extending Indiana’s public health emergency for the 21st time.
Lawmakers formally file legislation to limit business vaccine mandates
More than 50 Indiana House Republicans have signed on to a bill filed for the 2022 legislative session that would restrict employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates and put in place actions to end the statewide public health emergency order.
Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states
A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement.
More omicron cases pop up as world rushes to learn more
Cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in countries on opposite sides of the world Sunday and many governments rushed to close their borders even as scientists cautioned that it’s not clear if the new variant is more alarming than other versions of the virus.
Indiana lawmakers won’t return for one-day session on COVID-19 legislation
Republican legislative leaders have decided against bringing state lawmakers back for a one-day session on Monday to vote on a bill that would have restricted employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates and put in place actions to end the statewide public health emergency order.