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INDIANAPOLIS – About 200 people gathered outside Fairbanks Hall at IU Health on Saturday to protest the health system’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
One of those protesters was Derek Sauls.
“I’m angry, well since June 1 when the news came out,” said Sauls, who works in the facilities at Riley Hospital for Children.
“It’s a job I’ve enjoyed for 12 years and I’m really not happy that I chose to leave it,” Sauls said.
Many protesters say they feel cornered by the mandate: to be shot or lose their jobs. Some held signs during the protest that read “Forced consent is not consent” and “Let me do my own thing.” “
“Everyone should have their own ability to judge this and decide if it’s right for them and when you have your work held against you it’s really hard to make that decision,” said Jennifer Fluhr, RN at the Riley Hospital of IU Health. for kids.
Many of the protesters were IU health workers, but others, like Joan Billman, were only there to show their support.
“I’m here because it’s just not right,” Billman said.
Throughout the protest, several people spoke about personal reasons why they do not want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Others say they shouldn’t need a reason, they just want it to be their choice.
“I am here to make my voice heard among the hundreds of people here present by management who would try to put pressure on employees under threat of losing our jobs,” Sauls said.
“We are all also patients and we give our patients the right to autonomy, we give our patients the right to refuse and we should have that too,” said Fluhr.
The group’s hope was that the rally would help impact change and specifically influence the management of IU Health to rescind the tenure. If the mandate remains as is, some say they will be forced to look for a new job.
“I’m going to have to do it and I’m going to be sad about it,” Sauls said.
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