Ricketts Orders State Agencies To Ignore Federal Vaccine Mandate

      Nebraska Republican Governor Pete Ricketts has ordered state agencies under his direct control not to follow any federal coronavirus vaccine mandate. 

     Ricketts casts the mandate as a violation of personal freedom and of federal government overreach. 

      The vaccine requirement generally applies to private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors, but many employers are still waiting for more specific details from the federal government. 

     Ricketts has repeatedly encouraged people to get vaccinated, but says he opposes mandates.

He’s also had Nebraska’s lack of a vaccine requirement featured in job advertisements for in-demand health care professionals.