Protest against health care worker vaccine mandate becomes a celebration

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - A rally Saturday afternoon by the Mississippi Against Mandates organization was a protest and a celebration.

Dozens of people lined up along the street in front of Memorial Hospital in Gulfport to protest the federal vaccination mandate specifically for health care workers.

Lindsey Lemmons with Mississippi Against Mandates said the argument is fundamental for her.

“We recognized that this was overwhelmingly unconstitutional,” she said. “People’s medical choice should be between their doctor and the patient.”

But it was also a celebration of sorts after a federal judge earlier this week issued a preliminary injunction of the federal mandate that had been scheduled to begin next week.

While that ruling was applauded by supporters, no one is ready to claim victory just yet.

“It’s temporary,” Lemmons said. “So, we understand that it’s just a matter of time before we might have to take this issue up again. But, for now, it’s partly also a celebration because luckily, the facilities, the health care facilities themselves, also agree that the injunction was a good call.”

A representative with Memorial would not comment about the mandate today. This was the second protest Saturday afternoon with the first in Pascagoula. The group is planning a food drive to raise money for its legal defense fund.