TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – Hundreds of people gathered outside of Tucson Medical Center near Craycroft and Grant to protest mandatory vaccines on Saturday. TMC and Banner Health have announced their staff will be required to get vaccinated.
“Whether you like the vaccine or you dislike the vaccine, anything experimental should carry a consent from the people who are getting it,” said Mark Lytle at the protest.
He says he’s a paramedic, and if the vaccine goes beyond its current emergency use authorization, he still doesn’t plan to get it.
“I will not be getting the vaccine. Our guys have been treated, many of us in public safety with Ivermectin. We’ve been recovered within 24 to 48 hours,” he said.
The FDA says Ivermectin is approved for the treatment of some parasitic worms in people, however it is not approved for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans.
“Do you see a pandemic? A pandemic to me would be thousands of people would be dropping dead every day,” said a protester who asked to not be named.
Johns Hopkins is reporting worldwide more than 11,000 people died from COVID Friday. The CDC’s most recent data shows the U.S. had 691 news deaths on Thursday. Yet protesters say they feel the vaccine is dangerous.
“It’s not protecting people. The spike protein is designed to replicate and give you COVID. It’s what is making people sick,” he said.
The CDC says millions of people in the U.S. have received vaccines which have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in the country’s history. TMC sent KOLD News 13 a statement explaining why their employees must be vaccinated.
“We have seen an alarming increase in COVID cases across Southern Arizona, and as a community hospital, our job is to keep staff and patients safe. We know vaccines work, so we stand behind our decision to require hospital workers to be vaccinated. Of those currently hospitalized with COVID, 99% are unvaccinated. We are allowing some exceptions and deferments. Those who wish to wait until the FDA fully approves the vaccine can sign up for a deferment as well as those who are pregnant. Some exceptions will be made for religious and health reasons. Those who are allowed deferments or exceptions will have to be tested twice a week.”
The Pima County Board of Supervisors will meet this coming week and discuss vaccine requirements for county healthcare workers.
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