BLOOMINGTON, Ind–A lawsuit challenging Indiana University’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate was dismissed by a federal appeals court on Tuesday.
The lawsuit was drawn up by eight IU students. According to court documents, seven of the eight students involved in the suit had been given religious exemptions. The eighth student says she no longer plans to attend the university.
“Given the religious exemption enjoyed by seven plaintiffs, and the withdrawal of the eighth, these plaintiffs will not be aggrieved by the University’s vaccination requirement in the future,” the court said.
The ruling came from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. That same federal court had previously ruled that the university could require students and employees to get the vaccine. IU filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but that was denied by the Seventh Circuit Court, which led to Tuesday’s ruling.
The students also asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order, saying the risks of vaccination outweigh the benefits of getting vaccinated for people in their age group. In August 2021, the Supreme Court refused to block Indiana University’s policy.
