Health care employees protest vaccine mandate outside Green Bay hospitals
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WLUK) -- Those against hospitals requiring their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 took to the street today to protest the mandate. Some were health care employees, others just supporters.
With signs in hands, and some dressed in scrubs, people came out voicing opposition against the vaccine mandates put in place by health care systems.
"I just want more research," said St. Vincent Hospital employee Kim Flynn. "More research done on the vaccine and more time."
Along with others, Flynn marched outside the hospital, even though she is not required by Hospital Sisters Health System to get the vaccine yet.
"I'm just hoping they consider not doing that," said Flynn. "I just feel sorry for any one working for any of the hospital systems requiring it."
One of the protest organizers said it's not the vaccine the protestors are against. It's against the health care systems that are requiring the vaccine for its workers.
"We took an oath to give our patients medical autonomy," said Hope Coppens, a local health care employee. "We can't practice that if we don't have medical autonomy because that can just lead to our patients not having medical autonomy."
However, groups like Wisconsin Nurses Association argue getting the vaccine, is the right thing to do for anyone who wants to work in health care.
"I think it's important to patients that they're coming in and knowing that they're coming into a place where there's care concern, safety," said CEO of Wisconsin Nurses Association, Gina Dennik-Champion. "No one wants to get an infection while they're in the hospital. That could have been might have not happened."
In response to the protests taking place just outside St. Vincent a spokesperson said,
HSHS hospitals in Wisconsin, including St. Vincent and St. Mary’s Hospitals in Green Bay, are not requiring employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine but are highly encouraging it. As the pandemic and science evolves, we will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate our options.
Bellin, which is not requiring the vaccine yet, declined to comment on the protests.
Another protest against vaccine mandates is scheduled for Friday, outside the Advocate Aurora Hospital in Manitowoc.
