{"id":14355,"date":"2021-08-20T17:14:35","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T21:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=14355"},"modified":"2021-08-20T17:17:25","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T21:17:25","slug":"polk-county-health-care-workers-are-now-rallying-against-covid-19-vaccine-mandates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2021\/08\/20\/polk-county-health-care-workers-are-now-rallying-against-covid-19-vaccine-mandates\/","title":{"rendered":"Polk County health care workers are now rallying against COVID-19 vaccine mandates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A group of Polk County health care workers is fighting back against mandatory&nbsp;COVID-19 vaccinations, both for their patients and fellow employees.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Health Care FREEDOM for Health Care Workers\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EhQ2xyxCOyQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lakeland native Lindsey Grych, 30, a nurse practitioner, said she grew concerned watching COVID vaccine mandates being put in place across the United States. Grych formed a Facebook group called,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/365226858333288\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Healthcare Freedom for Healthcare Workers Polk County.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I&#8217;m not against vaccination, I got my vaccinations but I don&#8217;t feel people should be forced,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I feel very deeply, deeply motivated that everybody should get to make health care choices based on their personal comfort level and medical history.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This&nbsp;action incited a rallying cry from local health care professionals who feel such mandates go&nbsp;too far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-delay=\"3\" data-effect=\"fade\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14356\" data-id=\"14356\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c1-1024x768.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c1.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14357\" data-id=\"14357\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c2-768x1024.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c2-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c2.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14358\" data-id=\"14358\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3-1024x768.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14359\" data-id=\"14359\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c4-768x1024.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c4-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c4-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c4-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c4.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-14360\" data-id=\"14360\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c5-768x1024.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c5-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c5-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c5-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c5.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s your God-given right, liberty, and bodily autonomy. It&#8217;s your right to choose what goes in your body and your health care choices,&#8221; Nikki Murphy, a&nbsp;nurse practitioner from Auburndale, said. &#8220;If you choose the vaccine, that&#8217;s awesome. If you don&#8217;t, we&#8217;ll support you.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Murphy, 35, and others who support the movement are members of the Polk&nbsp;chapter of&nbsp;Moms Across America, a national nonprofit aimed at amplifying the voices of mothers to&nbsp;create healthy communities. The group a rally last week.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"958\" height=\"540\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px\" src=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/238854572_10158463713091219_6743676434755494416_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/238854572_10158463713091219_6743676434755494416_n.jpg 958w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/238854572_10158463713091219_6743676434755494416_n-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/238854572_10158463713091219_6743676434755494416_n-768x433.jpg 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;There&#8217;s a risk with this vaccine, just like there&#8217;s a risk in contracting COVID,&#8221; Murphy said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grych said she feels it\u2019s impossible to know 100% what the long-term effects of various COVID vaccines are because it hasn&#8217;t been studied long enough.&nbsp;She claims&nbsp;doctors are often reluctant or&nbsp;refuse&nbsp;to report patients experiencing serious side effects to the national&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/vaers.hhs.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s a cumbersome process,&#8221; she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VAERS form is about nine pages long and can take up to 30 minutes to completely fill out per patient, according to Grych. If that&#8217;s time to see another sick patient, she believes there&#8217;s a temptation&nbsp;that overwhelmed physicians will simply move on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/employers-forcing-the-mandate-stop-the-mandate-on-healthcare-professionals?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_30349116_en-US%3A7&amp;recruiter=140716605&amp;recruited_by_id=f72c0584-6672-49aa-aa9f-1f4b6a41e644&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink&amp;utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&amp;utm_term=share_petition\" target=\"_blank\">Change.org petition has been started titled &#8220;Stop the Mandate on Healthcare Professionals&#8221;<\/a>&nbsp;which calls on Florida&#8217;s major health care systems to stop putting COVID mandates in place.&nbsp;The petition highlights that many hospitals and clinics that are threatening to fire unvaccinated employees are already short on staff.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The petition has received&nbsp;over 1,370 signatures by 5 p.m. Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The health care professionals group is planning a second&nbsp;rally scheduled for&nbsp;Sept. 18. &nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A group of Polk County health care workers is fighting back against mandatory&nbsp;COVID-19 vaccinations, both for their patients and fellow employees.&nbsp; Lakeland native Lindsey Grych, 30, a nurse practitioner, said&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":71799,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[12,14],"tags":[1050],"class_list":["post-14355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local","category-news","tag-health-care-workers-are-now-rallying-against-covid-19-vaccine-mandates"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}