Protest against vaccine mandate for healthcare workers in Nebraska City

NEBRASKA CITY- With healthcare facilities nationwide instituting a vaccine mandate for their employees.  The reality of unemployment looms heavy for many healthcare professionals. 

The issue has reached rural Nebraska and in Nebraska City, healthcare workers as well as community members came together to have their side of the story heard.

Registered Nurse Wynee Benedict states her involvement is based on freedom of choice, and that she and other healthcare professionals feel backed into a corner by these mandates.

“Well, you know I’m a registered nurse, and I believe in the freedom of choice and these vaccine mandates are kind of backing us into a corner.  This mandate is nationwide and is affecting many healthcare professionals, and that’s what I’m out here for.”

Benedict also says over the past year healthcare professionals were there for the communities they served and never backed down, and that many of them are now facing unemployment.

“It’s been hectic it was scary when a lot of people were scared, we weren’t able to back down we stood tall, we stood strong.  We were there for our community, we were there for our family, and your family.  We didn’t back down and I think that’s why we feel so backed into a corner right now. A lot of us are going to be unemployed here eventually and you hear a lot of people say we need to get the unvaccinated out of the hospitals.  But in my opinion I think I would take my chance on a unvaccinated nurse before I take the chance on one not being there at all.”

Several passers by were showing support by honking their horns and more signs were being made as members of the community continued to join the cause to which Benedict says she is very proud and thankful for the support.

“I am so proud and thankful.  This kind of started with a Facebook post, I felt a little bit scared to come out here and do this. I saw that Facebook post and it had over one hundred likes and hearts in less than a couple hours, and I thought maybe I could have some support out there. I feel like I’m being led by something much larger than me, and it was just something I was meant to do.”