Nurses and health care workers from Fort Worth's Texas Health Harris Methodist hospital, and Baylor Scott & White in Dallas came out in protest against their establishments' COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
"I'm here today to reestablish a healthcare worker's right to choose and to be exempted from any medical procedure they feel violates their conscience," Dallas nurse Sabrina Vallecillo said per NBCDFW.
This sentiment of losing their individual right to choose was echoed by protesters in Fort Worth.
"Regardless if you believe in the vaccine or not, it should never be mandated," nurse Keli Culver said per CBS.
"I'm not here to say you should get the vaccine or shouldn't get the vaccine. But that you should have a choice," ICU and NICU nurse Jennifer Cantu said. "… You're literally telling me to put a serum in my body that can harm me years down the road."
"We had an exemption for the flu vaccine called a philosophical exemption. That exemption was eliminated when they came out with these COVID vaccine mandates," nurse Lauren Hughes said.
These vaccination requirements were put in place at three of the area's major hospitals as a result of spiraling case numbers in North Texas, fueled by the highly infectious Delta variant.
According to Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council President and CEO Stephen Love, North Texas' ICU occupancy rate is currently at 96% - Over one-third of which are currently in use by patients with COVID-19, the majority of whom were not vaccinated.
Love went on to say that while they support their employees' right to protest "we endorse protecting your patients, and we support our hospitals that mandate vaccines."
Meanwhile, a statement from Texas Health Resources echoed the same sentiment:
"As Americans, we are privileged to have the freedom of speech. As medical professionals, we have the responsibility to keep our patients safe. We understand that employees wish to share their opinions, but the science is indisputable. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective against the spread of the highly-contagious delta variant. Texas Health has in place an established process for employees seeking exemptions from, or needing accommodations to meet, our employee health requirements for medical or religious reasons."
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