Dozens of people assembled Friday in front of the Hawaiʻi State Capitol to show their opposition to Gov. David Ige's latest emergency proclamation.
The proclamation calls for all state and county workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Aug. 16. Those who are not inoculated will be required to take weekly PCR exams.
Political activist group “Knights of Aloha” coordinated the rally.
Some people say they are skeptical of the vaccines because they have not been fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have received emergency authorization.
The protestors held signs calling for medical freedom.
An anonymous protestor told Hawaiʻi Public Radio, "Now we have 60% of our population vaccinated and we’re hitting the 660 count? Something is wrong to me."
"If you’re into it, you’re into it. Like I said, that’s your choice. You decide for yourself whether you want it or not. If it makes you feel safe at the end of the night and makes you sleep comfy in your bed, raja that. But for the people that don’t, it shouldn’t have to infringe on anybody else’s feelings or rights," he said.
Republican State Representative Val Okimoto wrote a letter to the Governor asking to call off the mandate. Okimoto received both doses of the Moderna vaccine earlier this year.
She encourages people to get vaccinated, but she also does not think people should be forced to do so.
"I care about the health and safety of our communities. This is something that I feel is an individual choice. Especially when it comes to an employee of the state, but also when it comes to parents deciding for their children," Okimoto said.
"Right now we’re placing these extra burdens and stressors on our residents here, and they’re having to make these decisions that may be a lifelong decision or life-impacting decision, and I feel like we’re rushing it," she stated.
Last week, the state had a 7-day average of 445 daily new cases. Nearly 61% of Hawaiʻi’s population has been fully vaccinated. About 95% of the positive cases are among unvaccinated people, the state has said.
