they perceive as different working conditions. >> reporter: the strategy reflects the reality of where he lives. only 22% of people in the area are vaccinated. >> for someone who is on the fence or has previously been rejecting vaccines, for whatever reason, the closer that they see someone, you know, that they either know or love that suffers a grave illness or tragically dies, that often is the switch that -- that -- that flips their mind. >> how do you square that with healthcare workers, though, who saw so many people sick and then still don't want the vaccine? >> i can't, other than it doesn't make common sense to me. i just -- i can't explain it. it's inexplicable. >> the supreme court upheld a vaccine mandate for smallpox in 1905. still, a small portion of hospital workers around the country have protested vaccine mandates. but the opposition matters a lot more here because scotland county hospital struggles to have enough staff. and ten of its 57 nurses left