VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Supreme Court's upcoming decision on vaccine mandates will affect millions of health-care workers nationwide, but Halifax Health nurse Rebecca Sarwi says it won't change her mind about getting a vaccination.

“I’m not quiet about the fact that I’m not taking it,” said Sarwi, who has been a labor and delivery nurse and lactation consultant at Halifax Health for 13 years.

What You Need To Know

  •  The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Friday concerning a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers

  •  The case has the potential of affecting millions of workers across the country

  • Under the mandate as presented, affected health care workers would have until Jan. 27 to get a dose of the vaccine or risk losing their jobs

If allowed to go forward, millions of health care workers would be required to take the vaccine or face the possibility of losing their job if they refuse. 

“Even if they are threatening my job over it, or threatening something, I’m just not going to bow to that,” Sarwi said.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Halifax Health is a hospital that would have to implement mandates for employees if the Supreme Court allows the rule to go into effect.

Officials said the hospital currently has more than 75% of its staff vaccinated.

For Sarwi, she said she believes taking the vaccine should be a personal choice that shouldn’t be forced.

“Well, we worked through the whole thing without it," she said. "It just seems like a crazy idea to have a mandate at this point.”

On Friday, the Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments to consider cases involving the mandate for health-care workers.

If the mandate remains in place, employees like Sarwi would have to receive at least one dose of the vaccine by Jan. 27 if she hasn't been granted a qualifying exemption.

“My religious exemption through the hospital was actually denied,” she said.

Sarwi said her religion isn’t necessarily against the vaccine; she just chooses not to put her faith in it.

That decision could mean she has to move on from her profession. It’s a tough choice either way, but she said she’s sticking to her beliefs.

“They make you feel like everyone’s got it, especially health-care workers. That’s not the case,” she said.

In a statement released by Halifax health, hospital officials said they haven’t sent any further memos regarding the vaccine mandate.