BILLINGS — Folks lined a portion of King Avenue West in Billings on Sunday to rally in opposition of a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for well being care staff and staff of any firm with greater than 100 staff.
“We’re against the mandate. Everyone ought to have the liberty to decide on when there’s danger concerned,” stated Corinne Hammond, a Billings healthcare employee and rally organizer.
Hammond stated the rallies have been additionally held in 9 different Montana cities: Bozeman, Glendive, Nice Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kallispell, Miles Metropolis, Missoula, and Sidney.
MTN Information / Mitch Lagge
The rally drew a big crowd, with individuals stretching across the nook at twenty fourth Avenue West to the primary driveway entrance to Walmart on King Avenue West. Many held indicators condemning, “authorities overreach.”
The rallies have been placed on by Big Sky Liberty Alliance, a personal Fb group with about 1,300 members from throughout the state, Hammond stated.
The group is headed by 5 Billings well being care staff Kristen Gilfeather, Corinne Hammond, Lori Gilbertlee, Amanda Sieler, and Lauren Zachmann who was not current on the rally. There have been initially two teams that popped up close to the beginning of October. They later mixed when the group’s directors grew to become conscious of the opposite.
MTN Information / Mitch Lagge
“I may see form of what was occurring and I used to be involved that we would want a platform for well being care staff to have the ability to be a part of collectively and talk and assist one another. As a result of I observed many individuals that have been towards this have been staying quiet due to worry they usually did not wish to be harassed or bullied,” Hammond stated.
Hammond stated the group is carefully watching the lawsuit introduced by 10 states towards the federal authorities, looking for to overturn the vaccine mandate. The mandate says healthcare staff and staff at corporations with greater than 100 staff ought to have their first shot by December fifth and be totally vaccinated by January 4th.
MTN Information / Mitch Lagge
“We’re all holding our breath till that time after we will know if it’s going to be stayed or if it’s going ahead as is and there’s quite a lot of strain on either side,” Hammond stated.
The rally organizers all agreed that in the event that they have been pressured to have the COVID-19 vaccine, they might stop their jobs.
“No matter God places in entrance of me. I’ll go wait tables. I don’t care. I’m simply not taking this vaccine,” stated Lori Gilbertlee.
“Ditto. I don’t know what’s subsequent, however I’ll reinvent myself one way or the other,” Hammond added.
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