Protesters gather outside Spartanburg Medical Center pushing for medical freedom

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Individuals in opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate collected Friday outside the house of Spartanburg Medical Heart.

According to Spartanburg Regional, the Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Companies (CMS) is necessitating hospital and wellbeing procedure staff to be thoroughly vaccinated by January 4, 2022.

Officers mentioned this applies to all recent team, including associates, students, volunteers, residents and health care employees, irrespective of no matter if their positions are clinical or non-medical. In accordance to the professional medical center, they are doing so to comply with federal coverage.

Spartanburg Regional mentioned in a launch, the CMS regulation demands healthcare systems that participate in Medicare and Medicaid plans, together with the neighborhood medical center in Spartanburg, to be certain its workers are fully vaccinated.

This will come in two phases: Phase 1 needs all companies and associates to have at least a person dose by Dec. 6. Period 2 necessitates all staff to be completely vaccinated by Jan. 4.

Exemptions for the vaccine will have to be submitted by November 22nd. Persons can implement below the Americans with Disabilities Act or mainly because of spiritual beliefs, observances, or methods set up underneath Title VII of the Civil Legal rights Act of 1964.

On Friday, folks expressed their stance on Spartanburg Regional’s current mandate, like some employees. Lots of of them urged to have choice.

“If you want the vaccine, it’s obtainable to you, and that is a amazing thing. If which is what you want. But, for these persons who have convictions and have warnings about this in their possess mind, they should not be compelled to do it,” reported protester Scott Scrimpsher.

7Information spoke with lots of protesters who discussed that they are in favor of health-related freedom and want to be in a position to make their own choices on no matter if or not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

“People consider this is just about health, but it’s really about our freedoms,” mentioned protester Heidi Matson.

“We have to let folks know that it is quite important to us. It’s not a selection that we came about flippantly,” claimed Christina Hill, a nurse at Spartanburg Regional.

People held indicators exterior of the clinical middle with messages on them, such as “have freedom to choose” and “say no to mandates”.

“We are all extremely passionate about what we do. We are nurses for a cause because we adore people and we care about people today. We want the very best for persons. We really don’t want to be compelled to do anything with out owning the selection in the make any difference and losing our job that we have worked difficult for,” stated Casey Blanton a nurse at Spartanburg Regional.

“These have been heroes, literally a couple times back, these folks ended up known as heroes. Now they are referred to as villains simply because they are standing up for their elementary proper to what they can do with their physique,” mentioned Scrimpsher.

7News achieved out to Spartanburg Regional to find out what will happen if staff members do not comply with the mandate, but they declined to comment any further.