Group protests Sanford Health's COVID-19 vaccination policy outside Medical Center
Alfonzo Galvan
More than 100 people showed up outside Sanford USD Medical Center on Friday afternoon in Sioux Falls to protest the healthcare giant's vaccination policy for employees.
The protest stemmed from Sanford's new vaccination policy for all employees requiring them to submit proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before the Nov. 1 deadline. Sanford's Good Samaritan Society employees would also have to adhere to the new policy.
Protesters arrived in rainy conditions with signs even before the event scheduled for noon started on Friday. The participants ranged from a few Sanford employees to concerned citizens. Some held signs denouncing the COVID-19 pandemic as a hoax while others protested their right of choice in getting the vaccine.
Among the people at Friday's protest was a Sanford doctor in uniform with his white coat and ID badges. Mick Vanden Bosch, a Sanford physician, said the protest was more than just a private employer mandating something for its workers, it was forcing them to do something they didn't want to do.
"I'm not against the vaccine per se, although I have my issues," Vanden Bosch said, "I'm against mandating it. I think we should have a choice."
Another man at the protest said he joined in just as a "concerned" citizen. Chad Bishop said he's asking Sanford Health to exempt all employees who have been infected with COVID-19 and have antibodies from their vaccination policy.
"Vaccines are exceptional technology," Bishop said, "We're asking for the long-term study data to be complete and final licensure by the FDA."
As the rain downpour intensified, some supporters of the protest drove by slowly honking their horns in support. A couple of Sanford employees leaving work took time to join in on the protest as well.
In a statement sent to the Argus Leader on Friday afternoon, Mike Wilde, vice president and medical officer at Sanford Health, says Sanford respects "everyone’s right to voice their opinions."
"Many employees have come to us to say, 'thank you, this is a sigh of relief.' By asking all employees to be vaccinated, we are continuing to offer a safe place for not only our employees, but our patients and guests as well," the statement read.