Steve Burton, the star of the long-running ABC soap opera General Hospital, announced he was fired from the show for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine after his medical and religious exemption requests were denied.
In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, November 23, Burton, who had been with the series since 1992, said he was aware of the news surrounding his refusal to comply with the vaccination mandate and wanted his fans to “hear it from me.”
“Unfortunately, General Hospital let me go because of the vaccine mandate. I filed for medical and religious exemptions, and both of those requests were denied, which, you know, is disappointing. But this is also about my personal freedom,” Burton said.
“I don’t think people should lose their livelihood over this, but you know me—I’ll always cherish my time at General Hospital. I loved my time there. I grew up there,” he continued. “I grew up with some of you, so I’ll always be grateful, and I believe that when one door closes, many other doors open. That’s always been my perspective,” Burton added.
Burton said he wasn’t sure when his final episode would air but hoped he could return if the mandate was lifted.
“So, I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds, and maybe one day if these mandates are lifted, I can come back and finish my career as Jason Morgan, and that would be an honor—and if not, I’ll take this great experience with me, move forward, and always be grateful,” he concluded.
Burton, who had portrayed the iconic character Jason Morgan for nearly 30 years, filmed his final episode on October 27, according to NBC, who confirmed the news.
As of Tuesday, the 51-year-old actor’s name was still listed on General Hospital‘s website.
The Epoch Times reached out to a spokesperson for ABC for comment.
Burton is the second actor to leave the soap due to the vaccination mandate, following long-time star Ingo Rademacher, who played Jasper “Jax” Jacks. Rademacher also left the show after refusing to get vaccinated, and his character has since been written out of the storyline, according to Deadline.
General Hospital is filmed in Hollywood, California, and producers implemented the vaccination mandate for actors and crew members working in “Zone A”—the area where actors perform without wearing masks. The mandate went into effect on November 1, according to Variety.
In an effort to combat the virus, the Biden administration ordered companies with 100 or more employees to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations.
This rule, issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the U.S. Department of Labor, requires businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their staff are either vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4, 2022, or tested weekly and wear masks.
At least 27 U.S. states, along with private employers, religious organizations, and other groups, have sued the government, arguing that the administration is exceeding its authority in issuing this mandate.
