COVID-19 vaccine mandate back on for Sioux Falls public health workers after Supreme Court ruling

A COVID-19 vaccine mandate is back in place for employees of the city's public health department following a United States Supreme Court decision earlier this month.

Bill O’Toole, the city’s human resources director, said that affected employees have been informed that by Feb. 14, they must verify that they have received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine, or have a pending or granted request for a religious or medical exemption, or a temporary delay.

By March 15, employees must verify they have completed a full series of the COVID-19 vaccine, or have been granted an exemption or temporary delay.

O'Toole said the mandate would apply to approximately 82 full-time employees and 38 part-time employees.

More: Sioux Falls reverses COVID vaccine mandate for health workers following federal court ruling

Employees had originally been notified by the city in November about the mandate, which the Biden administration had issued through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for all healthcare workers in facilities receiving federal healthcare dollars.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp blocked the mandate's implementation after a lawsuit from ten states — including South Dakota — reached him later that month.

But earlier in January, the Supreme Court upheld that the vaccine mandate could stand, alongside a ruling that a much broader mandate that would have imposed similar requirements through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration could not.

More: Supreme Court struck down Biden Admin. vaccine mandate — here's how Sioux Falls businesses reacted

O’Toole said that other than the effective dates of the mandate, nothing had changed from the city’s implementation since November, and that no other city employees would be required to receive a vaccine.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: COVID vaccine mandate returns for Sioux Falls health workers