Employers, who have been traditionally treated with a total hands off approach by conservatives in regard to any regulation, will be the answer to the vaccine/mask issue. It's one thing to take a political stand, however ridiculous it might be, against something, but quite another to go all in and put one's job on the line with no backup. It was conservatives that made sure "right to work" (really right to be fired for any reason) was implemented in most states and the employers are fully aware of their power. Dumping a few workers will be much less expensive for them than another shutdown.