Nurse's Facebook Post Citing Vaccination Refusal for Job Termination Splits Opinions

A nurse in Ohio recently posted on Facebook that she will soon lose her job because she refuses to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and her message caused a sharp contrast in opinions online.

The comments section in the post reveals both resounding support for Melissa Rexroth, a registered nurse in Ohio, as well as criticisms from those who feel she should be fired if she continues to treat patients while not being vaccinated.

What's not debatable is the response Rexworth's post has gotten. After writing the message shortly before midnight on August 20, her post was shared more than 441,000 times and garnered over 200,000 comments in the first four days alone.

In the post, Rexworth stated at the beginning that she's "not political" and supports people who choose to get the shots. However, she said she's personally elected to not get vaccinated. The decision, she said, has led her employers to inform her she will be terminated from her position on December 1.

Rexworth did not list the name of the business where she works on Facebook, and she declined to provide that information to a reporter for the Columbus CBS-affiliated station WBNS-TV.

In its story, WBNS reported it confirmed Rexworth is a registered nurse in the state of Ohio under her maiden name through license records from the Ohio Board of Nursing.

Speaking with WBNS, Rexworth said, "First, let me state I am not anti-vax by any means. That's never been my stance. I am pro-choice on this one."

She has simply chosen "no" for herself, she told the station. The business where she is employed, though, has made vaccinations mandatory for staff, according to Rexworth.

In her post, Rexworth said she worked on the front lines during the pandemic, writing, "Last year I worked the floor no one else wanted to. I have my own medical issues, but I willingly worked that floor."

She also claimed most of her patients survived, though some became "extremely ill" and "some succumbed."

"How is it possible that I worked the entire past year, most shifts on said floor, many times without the proper equipment, and without the [emoji symbol for needle], but today I am expendable???," Rexworth continued.

"I stand for FREEDOM! You have the right to disagree with me and I will still support your right to your opinions. I will NEVER agree to force anything on anyone. I support your right to choose the [symbol for needle] for you and your family. My choice, after what I have personally witnessed, is to abstain until long term studies have been conducted," she added.

While some responses to her post included misinformation about COVID and vaccines, there were plenty of people who sided with Rexworth's freedom to decide for herself. One person wrote, "They can't force you to take anything you don't want to. Their loss not yours."

Another supporter wrote, "This issue of mandated vaccines needs to go to the U.S. Supreme Court."

However, the comments section was also flooded with messages that criticized her decision. One person said, "Good. Don't need you killing anyone. Go work from home."

"So with all due respect, while you may feel like you've went from hero to zero as a health care worker with this mandate, this is not about you," said another commenter who indicated she also works in health care. "We have a responsibility as health care workers to either get vaccinated or find a new profession."

In early August, the Ohio Hospital Association recommended its members require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Soon afterward, many Ohio health care systems announced mandatory vaccines for its workers, though some health centers in the state have not implemented such a requirement.