WAGONER, Okla. — After more than 40 years in healthcare, a local nurse may be without a job after refusing the COVID vaccine, following President Joe Biden's federal mandate.
Rosemary Kotas is a traveling hospice nurse. She's been in healthcare for 45 years and a nurse for 39 of those. But with the arrival of the vaccine mandates, she said all those years of work may be worth nothing if she doesn't comply with the mandate.
“As far as all my extensive healthcare education, out the window with a signature on a piece of paper that mandates," said Kotas.
She said at the start of the pandemic, healthcare workers were called heroes and thanked. But now, she said it's a different story.
“We are indispensable and to shove us in this category that we’re individuals without having the vaccine and that’s just not true. I’ve tested twice a week for two years and I’ve never tested positive, I’ve never had any symptoms, I’ve never had COVID so why are they saying the people that choose not to get this vaccine are the spreaders? It doesn’t make sense," said Kotas.
She believes by companies following this federal mandate, everyone will feel the consequences.
“We will leave. We’ve already left. There will be more that leave, lots more. And it’s just going to get really bad for sick people in the United States," said Kotas.
Kotas said she doesn’t blame her employer and is trying to get an exemption but time is running out since the deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 16.
She said nursing isn't just a job to her, it's a calling and no one should be able to take that calling from her.
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