AUGUSTA (WGME) -- A third protest was held in as many days against Maine’s new vaccine mandate for health care workers.

Dozens of people turned out in Augusta Monday morning to protest on the steps of the State House.

Governor Janet Mills’ announced last week that Maine health care workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 1.

[Virus claims more young victims as deaths climb yet again]

“Health care workers” includes any individual employed by a hospital, multilevel health care facility, home health agency, nursing facility, residential care facility, and intellectual disabilities licenses by the State of Maine.

It also requires those employed by emergency medical service organizations or dental practices be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Mills said it's the best way to protect health care workers and patients, but those who attended Monday’s protest say no one should be forced to get immunized.

“I'm not anti-vax per say but we all should have a choice. We live in America and we have a right to our freedom, and we shouldn't be forced to get anything that we don't feel comfortable doing,” a health care worker named Katie told CBS13. She did not provide her last name.

There were similar protests over the weekend in Bangor and Portland.

Gov. Mills issued the following statement about the protest:

"The State of Maine has long required the immunization of employees of designated health care facilities to reduce the risk of exposure to, and possible transmission of, vaccine-preventable diseases. These immunizations include measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, hepatitis B, and influenza. This change simply adds the COVID-19 vaccine and is supported by a broad coalition of health care providers across Maine, including Maine Hospital Association, Maine Medical Association, Maine Primary Care Association, Maine Health Care Association, Maine Emergency Medical Services, and Maine Dental Association, along with the state’s two largest health systems, MaineHealth and Northern Light Health.

Vaccinations are safe, effective, and the best tool we have to protect the lives and livelihoods of Maine people and to curb this pandemic. Health care workers perform a critical role in protecting the health of Maine people, and it is imperative they take every precaution, particularly in light of the more dangerous and transmissible Delta variant, to not only protect their health but also that of their patients, who include our most vulnerable. Further, the Governor believes that every person in Maine who is placed in the care of a health care facility has the right to expect - as do their families - that they will receive high-quality and safe care, which includes having their care providers be fully vaccinated in order to protect them against this deadly virus as much as possible."

Health care workers have until October 1 to get vaccinated under the new rule.

[Maine health care workers required to be fully vaccinated by October 1]

According to a mandated survey of health care settings by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, 80.3 percent of staff at hospitals, 73 percent of staff at nursing facilities, and 68.2 percent of staff at intermediate care facilities with intellectual disabilities have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.