The Supreme Court just destroyed hopes for individuals seeking exemption from a vaccine mandate scheduled to take effect in Maine on October 29. Associate Justice Stephen Breyer denied healthcare workers who were seeking exemption from the vaccine on religious grounds.

Newsweek reports:

The Maine mandate opponents had sought to block the requirement but a federal court rejected their challenge on October 13 and they appealed to the 1st Circuit where a three-judge panel declined to grant emergency relief.

The healthcare workers applied to the Supreme Court for the emergency ruling.

It is not uncommon for plaintiffs to seek an emergency order while a court is still considering the merits of their case. Breyer is the justice who oversees emergency appeals from the 1st Circuit.

His brief order said: “The application is denied without prejudice to applicants filing a new application after the Court of Appeals issues a decision on the merits of the appeal, or if the Court of Appeals does not issue a decision by October 29, 2021.”

Maine’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is due to take effect on October 29 and shortly after Breyer’s ruling, the 1st Circuit ruled against the healthcare workers. They can now appeal the decision to the Supreme Court but recent decisions by the justices suggest they may not be successful.