Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito temporarily froze a lower court’s ruling that would restrict access to a common abortion pill, preserving the status quo for the next five days but leaving the drug’s future availability uncertain.

The interim orders issued Friday afternoon do not signal how Alito or the full court is likely to rule on the substance of the case. They merely give the justices more time to consider a pair of emergency appeals from the Biden administration and a drug company that manufactures the medication.

The administration and the company want the justices to block a Wednesday ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that would dramatically reduce the availability of mifepristone, which is used in more than half of all abortions nationwide.

The 5th Circuit’s ruling had been scheduled to take effect on Saturday, but Alito’s interim order – known as an administrative stay – keeps the ruling on hold until next Wednesday night while the justices receive further briefing and decide whether to issue a longer stay.