Waitress Fired For Declining To Take COVID-19 Vaccine Over Fertility Concerns

Sergie Daez | February 18, 2021
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Some people want to be injected with the COVID-19 vaccine, some don’t. But it’s starting to look like the ones who don’t might face a severe backlash.

Bonnie Jacobson was reportedly fired from her waitress job at Red Hook Tavern in New York City because she declined to be vaccinated due to fertility concerns. 

 

Her boss had ordered all employees via email to be vaccinated. "This will be mandatory for all existing employees and any new hires,” it read. “The exception to this policy will be if your own personal health or disability prohibits you from obtaining this vaccination. We encourage you to consult your healthcare professional to determine if getting a vaccine is right for you."

In general, Jacobson supported the vaccine, but her desire to conceive made her cautious. She felt that there wasn’t enough data to prove that the vaccine wouldn’t render her infertile. She also felt that there was too little information about the results of pregnant women who were vaccinated. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that "the actual risks of mRNA vaccines to the pregnant person and her fetus are unknown because these vaccines have not been studied in pregnant women."

Jacobson decided that she didn’t want to get vaccinated until more information was available, and emailed her decision to her boss. "While I fully support the vaccine and understand its importance I do believe this is a very personal choice,” she said. “I really hope this choice would not affect my employment at Red Hook Tavern. Also once there is more research to support that it does not affect fertility I would reconsider my position."

However, it did affect her employment, as Jacobson was fired two days later. She said later that she wished her bosses had been more considerate of her position. "I think it's important for other business owners to see this and tread lightly, and take into more consideration their employees' feelings,” she expressed, “especially if your employees have been working for you, putting themselves in danger throughout a pandemic."

Humanity has come to a low point when people are forced to choose between termination or vaccination. 
 

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