Coronavirus: US announces sanctions for failing to comply with mandatory vaccination

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of U.S (OSHA) announced Saturday that it will not issue subpoenas related to its mandatory coronavirus vaccination order before January 10 so that companies have time to adjust to and enforce the requirements.

The federal agency separately indicated that before February 9, subpoenas will not be issued to companies regarding the performance of the diagnostic tests that it mandated.

The announcement follows a decision by the U.S. 6th District Court of Appeals in Cincinnati that determined Friday that the mandatory order for large-scale employers could remain in place, reversing a previous court ruling issued after 27 states ruled. Republicans, business associations and some individual companies challenged the measure.

OSHA reported in a statement that it will not issue citations before the aforementioned dates “as long as an employer is making reasonable and good faith efforts to comply with the regulations.”

The mandatory vaccine measure would initially go into effect on January 4.

The vaccine requirement established by the government of President Joe Biden is mandatory for companies with 100 or more employees and affects 84 million workers in the United States. Employees who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear masks and have weekly tests against COVID-19. Those who work in outdoor areas or from home are exempt.

Authorities estimate that the order will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations for six months.