Health Care Employees Protest Hospital System Vaccine Mandates

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hundreds of health care workers, along with their family and friends, are protesting vaccine requirements at local hospitals.

The group marched from Freedom Park to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center on Sunday afternoon.

Both Atrium and Novant, and the Mecklenburg County Health Department are requiring all employees to be vaccinated.

Protesters say they’re demanding medical freedom of choice.

“I’m not anti-vaccine. I’m happy to take a vaccine, if it has been tried and tested for the amount of time. We are the experiment. You give me that, I’m the guinea pig,” said Atrium Health nurse Jane Nymberg.

On the other side of the debate, an Atrium doctor says he took an oath to protect patients.

“Our job in the middle of a pandemic, that has killed 700,000 Americans, is to protect our community, to protect the vulnerable, and in this case, that means getting vaccinated,” said Dr. David Callaway, with Atrium Health.

Health officials say exceptions to the vaccine requirement will be made on a case-by-case basis for specific religious and medical reasons.