A coronavirus vaccine could come soon. Could MLB mandate players and fans take it?

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts is congratulated by teammate Kiké Hernandez after homering in Game 6 of the World Series. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, this week told CNN: “I would say, by April, you’ll be able to be vaccinated.” Thomas Lenz, who practices labor and employment law in Pasadena and teaches those subjects at the USC law school, said MLB could subject itself to an unfair labor practice claim by imposing a vaccination requirement without the consent of the players’ union. He said the league and union worked well in devising this season’s health and safety protocols, and he expected both sides would consider evidence of the effectiveness and risks of any vaccine. “The one thing both sides do a good job of — and they did this season — was really listening to the experts.” Clark said whether a vaccine is available and whether it can be effective for the 2021 season “may very well end up being two different things.” For instance: Would one dose of a vaccination provide protection against the virus, or would multiple doses be required? “The thing about getting to a vaccine is, there’s going to be a lot of political pressure to say, we are no longer in an emergency,” he said.