Social media users support Los Angeles workers suing city after losing work due to vaccine refusal

On June 11, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to remove the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees. Employees who were previously terminated or voluntarily left their positions after refusing to get vaccinated can now reapply. However, a group of city workers who were fired due to vaccine refusal are suing the city, claiming they unfairly lost work for two years. One social media post about the lawsuit received 9,400 likes, almost 200 comments, and 3,100 shares. Comments on the post express support for the former city workers who are suing the city and falsely claim that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe.

Recommendation: These online conversations may undermine the public’s trust in COVID-19 vaccine safety. Health agencies, community-based organizations, and other partners may emphasize that vaccine mandates have existed for certain careers, including health care and military employees, for decades and are intended to prevent severe illness and death caused by dangerous diseases. Continuing to reiterate that COVID-19 vaccines have been rigorously tested and determined to be safe, as adverse effects are extremely rare, is recommended.