LOMA LINDA, Calif. — As a registered nurse, Mickie Fairburn is fairly used to working alongside others as part of a group.

But typically in her day-to-day, Fairburn is working with others inside Loma Linda hospital on the pediatrics floor — not outside on the sidewalk as part of a rally.

And yet, that's exactly how Fairburn spent her Sunday morning, pushing back against a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate she says should be more of a choice.

"A lot of us weren’t happy. Even those who were vaccinated felt it was wrong," she said. "We went through the pandemic, we did it and I feel we should have the right to choose a vaccine or not. It’s our body."

The rally was put together by a group called Nurses for Freedom and is one of dozens that have taken or are scheduled to take place throughout California. They were put together in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom's new mandate, which requires all health care workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

While a large percentage of health care and front-line workers have already received their doses, there are still some who are hesitant.

“I personally just don’t feel comfortable, and I don’t want to be forced to be vaccinated to keep my job," Fairburn said.

"They have the right to choose. It’s still their bodies," added Gigi Behr, who was part of the group organizing the rally. "It’s too new and not FDA approved yet. We still have so many questions."

Fairburn, Behr and about 150 others at the rally believe the COVID vaccinations available still don't have enough scientific backing. More than that, many were against the mandate being forced upon them.

"It creates a divide between nurses, the ones who don’t want it and and the ones who do," said Fairburn. "We just feel our backs are against the wall."

It's a divide that can be felt from San Bernardino down to Los Angeles County, where Dr. Jerry Abraham has a much different take on vaccinations.

“When you look at people dying, they are all unvaccinated, so the data, the facts speak for themselves," he said. "It’s obvious these vaccines save lives.”

Abraham is the vaccine director for Kedren Health in South LA. Working Sunday to help vaccinate a 12-year-old girl who came by the clinic, he explained how he's been shocked at the hesitancy surrounding vaccines.

"It’s been quite a journey," he said. "We had no idea when we started in December that we’d still be doing this in August and finding quite a bit of resistance still."

To Abraham, health care workers have an obligation to set the standard of getting vaccinated.

"Definitely, us [as medical professionals] should not be responsible for spreading it, for vaccine fear or for lack of confidence. Those are real issues," he said. "Hospital workers are at risk of getting COVID, but you’re also putting coworkers and patients at risk. There’s a higher level of accountability we have."

Plus, Abraham feels confidently that even without full FDA approval, the vaccines available are safe for use and are tools meant to be used in the fight against COVID-19.

"Over 600,000 people have died in this country so far, and so when we have tools available, why wouldn’t you use them?" he said. "It gets frustrating."

But aside from just overall safety questions, at the center of the debate for many is the actual mandate. On one side, there are those like Abraham who believe there was no other choice.

"Unfortunately, there really is no time left," he said. "We really need to get everyone vaccinated to end this pandemic. That’s where we’re at."

On the other side, however, are nurses like those at the rally.

"I’m not against it," Fairburn said. "If that’s your choice, it’s your choice, but don’t put my job on the line because I don’t want it."

"This is a free society, and we should be able to continue our careers without having to choose between a vaccine and those jobs," Behr echoed.