Reeves: Biden's COVID vaccine mandate wasn't about safety, but wielding presidential power

Gov. Tate Reeves celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to halt a Biden administration vaccine-or-testing requirement for employees of large businesses.

"Today’s decision is a major win for the United States," Reeves's Thursday news release said. "It’s a major win for federalism and our system of checks and balances. It’s a major win for workers across the country who want to put food on their table and still exercise their right to make the medical decision that’s best for them."

The requirement laid out by the Biden administration called for workers of businesses with at least 100 employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or face regular testing and mask-wearing.

SCOTUS' decision: Blocks COVID-19 vaccine-or-testing mandate for workplaces, lets medical rule stand

It was in an effort to increase America's vaccination rates and would've covered more than 80 million people. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimated the rule would've saved 6,500 lives and prevented 250,000 hospitalizations over a six-month period, according to the The Associated Press.

On Thursday, the nation's high court stopped the mandate, ruling it was an overstep by the Biden administration. However, the Supreme Court did allow a vaccine mandate for workers at health care facilities who receive federal funding through Medicare and Medicaid. According to USA TODAY, that measure affects about 10 million workers.

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Reeves, who has spoken out about the proposed mandate since early November, said he viewed it as a "a significant encroachment into the lives and health" of Americans who would've been subjected to the vaccine-or-testing requirement.

While Reeves has publicly backed getting vaccinated against the coronavirus, he has said numerous times it's a personal choice to get the shot.

"The issue before the Supreme Court was not about whether the vaccine is safe and effective or if it’s the best tool to protect ourselves from COVID and prevent serious illness due to the virus (I believe it is)." Reeves said. "It was about whether President Biden can use his power to force Americans to get vaccinated against their will."

In Mississippi, the fully vaccinated rate is 45%, lagging far behind the nation's average of about 63%.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi governor says SCOTUS stop to COVID vaccine rule is a win