Court blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandate for California prisons

Comes as more than half of state's inmate population tests positive for coronavirus

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY/AP) - An order seeking to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for California inmates has just been prevented from going forward.

A federal appeals court temporarily blocked the order that all prison workers must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or have a religious or medical exemption.

The court on Friday granted a stay of a lower court's September mandate. 

This earlier requirement was supposed to take effect by Wednesday, January 12, but the appeals court will remain enforced until at least March.

According to state figures, more than 50,000 state prisoners — over half of California’s state inmate population — have had COVID-19.

The Golden State also reports at least 242 have died from the disease.