General Hospital star Steve Burton was fired from the show this week after he refused to comply with ABC’s COVID-19 vaccine policy.
Burton is the second actor to leave the soap opera after Ingo Rademacher, who played Jasper “Jax” Jacks since 1996.
Burton said in a video to his fans that he had applied for religious and medical exemptions, but they were denied.
“I wanted you to hear it from me personally,” Burton said in a video posted to Instagram. “Unfortunately, ‘General Hospital’ has let me go because of the vaccine mandate. I did apply for my medical and religious exemptions, and both of those were denied. Which, you know, hurts. But this is also about personal freedom to me.”
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The actor, who plays Jason Morgan on the show, previously said that he had COVID-19 in August — after being exposed on set.
Burton said that he is open to returning, adding, “maybe one day if these mandates are lifted, I can return and finish my career as Jason Morgan. That would be an honor.”
Burton has been on the popular soap opera since 1991. His final appearance on the show aired on November 22.
Breitbart News reports that Days of Our Lives, and The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, are relying solely on testing, social distancing, and quarantining if exposed.
