Protect the Rights and Jobs of Sacred Heart Employees Who Decline COVID Vaccinations

Dear Leaders or Chief Officers of the Sacred Heart Health System:

We would like to request that you reconsider your decision to terminate the employment of your staff members who, for ethical, medical, or other reasons, have chosen not to receive the COVID vaccinations. Despite the fact that other hospitals in the Pensacola area have not mandated these vaccines for their employees and that our state government clearly opposes these mandates, your organization has taken an opposite stand. If your decision were justified and would truly benefit both your patients and employees, it might be understandable. However, considering the current situation with COVID (i.e., the COVID cases and deaths have been greatly reduced, despite the persistent promotion of misinformation used to induce fear) and the vaccine mandates (i.e., a breach of civil rights, evidencing a governmental overreach), it seems unreasonable for you to maintain this position. Furthermore, we appeal to you to change your decision, because we believe that ultimately, this will have a very negative impact not only on your patients and staff, but also on the community as a whole. The termination of potentially hundreds of jobs could result in a significant staff shortage, which, in turn, could affect the quality of care and lead to a loss of revenue for your hospital. Even worse, this decision, if left unchanged, would increase the unemployment rate, further exacerbating the problem of our failing economy. Most importantly, though, we feel that you should not terminate the jobs of your own people, because it is clearly wrong, unethical, unfair, and merciless. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, who have served so faithfully and sacrificially during this whole pandemic should be rewarded, not penalized. Moreover, they have not only a civil right, but more importantly, a God-given right to make medical choices about their own bodies, over which they have personal autonomy. To force them into a position where they have to choose between providing for their families and potentially risking their lives is reprehensible and unquestionably unjust. If you go forward with this decision, it will more than likely bring your institution into disrepute and mar your good name.

Lastly, if these arguments do not suffice, we believe that Sacred Heart Hospital should not enforce these vaccine mandates for the following reasons:

1. Forcing unwanted medical treatment violates medical ethics, patient rights, and civil liberties (cf. Florida Constitution's right to privacy: Art. I, Sect. 23). In short, Sacred Heart does not have the legal authority to implement these vaccine mandates.
2. This mandate does not recognize or acknowledge natural immunity, which is far superior to the vaccines in preventing COVID-19 transmission and infection. Additionally, the early treatment protocol has been found to be far more effective in combating COVID-19 when compared to the vaccines.
3. This violates state law which prohibits the requirement of vaccinations as a condition of employment or the termination of employment due to non-compliance with the COVID-19 mandates.
4. The COVID-19 vaccines which are currently available are not FDA approved, but still fall under the EUA (experimental use authorization).
5. This violates patients' civil rights by coercing staff members to participate in an experimental drug study without providing for full informed consent, which US federal regulations require. This includes 1) a thorough description and explanation of the clinical study; 2) warnings about any potential risks; 3) information regarding alternative treatments; 4) compensation in the event of injury; and 5) voluntary participation.
6. Data from VAERS and numerous studies have demonstrated the inefficacy and severe adverse effects of the COVID vaccines (e.g., disabilities, disease, myocarditis, miscarriages, heart attacks, death, etc.).
7. These vaccine mandates violate the religious rights of employees who have strong personal convictions about accepting vaccines that involved research using aborted fetal cells. This infringement of religious liberty is rather ironic and particularly disturbing in that Sacred Heart purports to be a Catholic hospital.

We pray and hope that you will seriously reconsider your decision in this matter.

Sincerely,

Concerned Citizens for Medical Freedom