Pockets of Vaccine Hesitancy Emerge Among U.S. Firefighters

U.S.|Vaccine hesitancy, an contented among constabulary officers, is besides evident among firefighters.

• Oct. 9, 2021, 4:37 p.m. ET

Vaccine hesitancy among constabulary officers successful the United States has been 1 of the themes of pandemic quality this year, but successful immoderate places, firefighters are joining the resistance.

This week, hundreds of firefighters successful Los Angeles filed a notice of intent to sue the metropolis implicit its vaccine mandate, saying an Oct. 20 deadline to get vaccinated is “extreme and outrageous.”

The notice, filed connected Thursday, said each of the 871 firefighters would question $2.5 cardinal each if the suit is filed — for a projected full of implicit $2.1 billion. A lawyer representing the radical said that the metropolis would person 45 days to measure the announcement and that helium expected to record the suit instantly aft that period.

Firefighters successful Spokane, Wash., joined authorities workers successful a lawsuit implicit statewide vaccine mandates, according to KXLY-TV. In Orange County, Fla., a radical of firefighters upset by a vaccine mandate sued the county, WFTV reported.

The International Association of Fire Fighters’ connection connected vaccines offers nary enactment for rejecting vaccine mandates. Instead, it notes the utmost value of vaccination for “fire fighters and aesculapian exigency unit who enactment successful confined and uncontrolled environments portion treating oregon transporting patients oregon interacting with the public.” The connection lists the fewer options disposable for exemptions, and lists immoderate of the fiscal penalties and occupation losses that defying mandates could incur.

Kevin McBride, the lawyer representing the Los Angeles firefighters, said successful an interrogation that his clients did not spot the disposable vaccines and could beryllium fired for defying the city’s vaccine mandate.

All 3 vaccines utilized successful the United States are highly effective astatine preventing superior illness, hospitalization and decease from Covid-19, and superior broadside effects, similar a beardown allergic reaction, are highly rare.

Mr. McBride said the Los Angeles authorities had rejected his connection of a “middle ground” successful which play investigating would substitute for getting the shot. The mandate passed by the Los Angeles City Council successful August did not see an enactment for regular testing.

As of Thursday, astir 64 percent of members of the Los Angeles Fire Department were afloat vaccinated, according to a spokeswoman, Cheryl Getuiza, and astir 1,200 members had not had a azygous shot. Since the pandemic began, 2 members person died, and 1,070 person been infected, she said.