Federal judge will not block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate

Indiana University’s vaccine requirement for students and employees will remain in place after a federal judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the policy.

Judge Damon Leichty of the Northern District of Indiana on Sunday denied the injunction request, following a lawsuit from eight students who argued the policy violated their constitutional rights and state law.

The decision means the school’s vaccine mandate will remain in place while the case is decided.

The lawsuit comes as vaccination rates have stagnated in many Republican-leaning states and counties, leading to new surges of coronavirus infections.

Indiana’s flagship public university announced in May that it would require its more than 100,000 students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.