Maine health care workers suing to stop the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers have lost a bid to remain anonymous.
The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston argued the nine workers, who are identified only as John and Jane Does, did not present a substantial privacy interest and failed to prove their fear of harm should they be publicly identified, according to the Portland Press Herald.
The federal court gave them until Friday to comply with the order or appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, the newspaper reported.
Maine’s vaccine mandate for health care workers went into effect on Oct. 29, 2021. While it provides for a medical exemption, there is no exemption for religious objections.
The unnamed workers claim they have a religious right to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, citing their belief it contains fetal stem cells acquired through abortions, the Press Herald reported.
Liberty Counsel, a conservative firm that also represented Orrington’s Calvary Chapel in its failed challenge to Gov. Janet Mills’ pandemic restrictions, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the nine in August 2021.
Since then, state Superior Court, U.S. District Court and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to halt the mandate.
