ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Protests continued outside Strong Hospital in Rochester Monday, with the vaccine mandate for health care workers now a week away.

Lisa Schoma has been a nurse at the University of Rochester for 12 years. But she says she is ready to walk away.

“I love my job, I love my job and I love my patients,” Schoma said. “But this is a sacrifice, this is a big sacrifice.”

She was one of dozens of health care workers protesting the upcoming vaccine mandate, which she says she fundamentally disagrees with.

“There are some things more important than your job,” Schoma said. “I don’t think a lot of people realize this is the beginning of something larger if they’re ready to get away with it.”

For Morgan Lapresi, it’s a matter of religious principal.

“My conscience from God is saying this is not the path you should go down,” Lapresi said.
“Working inside these places, I’m seeing different things that just don’t sit well in my conscience from God."

She’s an occupational therapist at the Jewish Home of Rochester, and has already had her religious exemption denied. So she also says she is ready to quit her job if the mandate takes effect.

“Which is really unfortunate,” Lapresi said. “This is what we’re passionate about. This is what we went to school for, this is what gives me purpose. And I’m really sad this choice has come down to me losing my job.”

And she’s worried what that could mean for the patients and nurses who remain.

“We’ll likely see more resignations from our vaccinated staff, because to carry that weight,” Lapresi said. “Between my family and my friends, I’m saying get all the medical care you need right now, because when this happens in a month there will be a lot less of us ready to take care of people."

The vaccine mandate for health care workers goes into effect Monday, Sept. 27.