FACT FOCUS: Florida doctors did not walk off the job

A news conference held by doctors in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to urge the public to get vaccinated amid a statewide surge of COVID-19 was undermined online as false reports claimed the physicians had walked off the job.

Doctors who participated in Monday's event told The Associated Press that they did not walk off the job or refuse to treat patients. The false claims, they said, have led to threats and harassment toward their colleagues and hospitals.

Here’s a closer look at the facts around this event.

CLAIM: A group of 75 doctors in Florida walked out of their jobs to protest the number of unvaccinated patients overwhelming the state’s hospitals.

THE FACTS: No, that’s not true. The news conference took place before office hours and was intended to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks, according to doctors who participated. It wasn’t a protest or walkout.

MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” covered the news conference early Monday morning with a misleading on-screen caption: “SOUTH FLORIDA DOCTORS WALK OUT IN PROTEST.”

The network clarified on air Tuesday morning that doctors didn’t walk away from their jobs, but social media users and other news outlets had already picked up the language. Some criticized the doctors for allegedly withholding treatment.

“BREAKING REPORT: More Than 75 Doctors WALK OUT OF SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL Rather Than Treat the Unvaccinated,” read one widely shared tweet.

Dr. Jennifer Buczyner, a neurologist who organized the news conference, said she was frustrated by the false assertion.

“This was a physician driven press conference to encourage our community to get vaccinated and talk about the impact this has had on our community,” Buczyner told the AP in an email.

Indeed, an email sent to doctors inviting them to...