A US appeals court on Friday upheld its decision to put on hold an order by President Joe Biden for companies with 100 workers or more to require Covid-19 vaccines, rejecting a challenge by his administration.

A three-member panel of the fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans affirmed its ruling despite the Biden administration's position that halting implementation of the vaccine mandate could lead to dozens or even hundreds of deaths.

"The mandate is staggeringly overbroad," the opinion said.

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