Federal lab in New Mexico pauses vaccine mandate

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — One of the federal government’s national laboratories in New Mexico is pausing a vaccine mandate that was set to go into effect this month. The associate director of mission services at Sandia National Laboratories told the Albuquerque Journal that the lab’s decision comes amid an ongoing lawsuit that was filed by a handful of unvaccinated employees. Lab officials contend the vaccination requirement was aimed at creating a safe work environment. The latest data from the New Mexico Department of Health shows vaccinated people made up nearly 40% of the new COVID-19 cases over the last four weeks. State data shows about 82% of people hospitalized are unvaccinated.