TEXAS, USA —
Following recent developments in the battle over COVID-19 vaccine mandates, Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center Hospital have temporarily suspended their plans for implementing their own mandates.
Initially, both hospitals decided they would follow the vaccine mandate guidelines set aside by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the main source of federal funding for hospitals.
Due to injunctions from federal judges against the federal mandate, those local mandates are halted, at least for now.
In a press conference Tuesday, Midland Health President and CEO Russell Meyers said the final decision is a waiting game.
“As of now it is suspended, we are not working any further on the mandate here at Midland Health,” Meyers said. “But we are prepared, should the appeals courts uphold the right of the federal government to mandate vaccinations in hospitals, we'll be prepared to go right back to work, implement our policies and get that done.”
A spokesperson for MCH also said they will be monitoring the litigation daily as they make decisions moving forward.
The other vaccine mandate to keep in mind is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate, the mandate that applied to companies with more than 100 employees. That mandate is also on hold after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay.
Stick with NewsWest 9 for the latest on the federal and local developments as new information is released.