Staff Report

A group of about 20 people gathered outside Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center Thursday to show their opposition to the COVID-19 vaccination.

Tom Hunstad, one of the protesters, said the group was not a formal organization, but instead a group of people who have family and friends who work at the hospital and don’t want to see them forced to take a vaccination to be able to work.

“We’re not an organization. It’s just spontaneous. We have family and friends that work here, and they do not need to be forced into taking a shot,” Hunstad, said. “We are just trying to support the people we love.”

Hunstad went on to say the group was hoping to educate the public, and to let them know what is going on. He questioned the safety of the vaccine, and even said it was not technically a vaccine, but simply a shot in his opinion.

“We believe it’s very dangerous to take these so-called vaccines. They’re really not even a vaccine by definition, so it’s just a shot,” he said.

Hunstad said he has not spoken with any representative from the hospital, but he would like to do so. He referenced a deadline of Sept. 1, which was given to EMRMC employees to receive at least one does of a COVID-19 vaccination.

“There’s a deadline of Sept. 1 (for employees to have the shot). We know several people that are not going to take the shot. That goes back to oppression and tyranny. We’re just wanting people to be aware that that’s not right.”

Editor’s note: Other protesters spoke, but would not provide their names, so they were not quoted for this article.