Protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccines in Springfield, weeks after Mercy’s demand was announced

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – A group gathered in Park Central Square on Friday for a protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.

The protest comes weeks after Mercy announced that all current and future employees at its hospitals, including Springfield, would be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Colleagues must be vaccinated by the end of September.

Protesters on Friday say they aren’t telling people not to get vaccinated. But some argue that getting a vaccine not fully approved by the FDA should be up to each person, not their employer.

“My child received a vaccine the first day he was alive. So I am not an anti-vax person. I am an anti-mandate person, ”Britany Hartzell said at the rally. “We have constitutional rights. We believe these are violated. We have to get up and say something.

“I had COVID, and it’s horrible. COVID is real, ”Hartzell said. “But, a vaccine that is not approved by the FDA, we don’t know the long-term side effects. These are the things that make people uncomfortable.

Mercy has hospitals and clinics in four states. Its vice president said about 75% of the 40,000 workers in the health care system are fully immunized. Workers who do not respect the mandate could be made redundant.

The CDC said the vaccines met rigorous FDA scientific standards for safety, efficacy and build quality.

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