Mandatory flu vaccination splits workers

[CoM]

Mandatory flu vaccination splits workers

 

September 27, 2009 by DELTHIA RICKS

 

Despite a planned rally in Albany Tuesday to protest a state regulation requiring health care workers be vaccinated against influenza — both seasonal and swine flu — New York’s top public health official predicts dissenters will ultimately extinguish their anger and roll up their sleeves.

 

The regulation, which was approved in August, comes with a stinging addendum: Get vaccinated or get fired.

 

But some nurses and many other health care providers say the regulation violates their personal freedom and leaves them vulnerable to vaccine injury. And they cite deaths associated with the last federal government swine-flu vaccination program in 1976.

 

Refusing to be immunized against H1N1 because of the vaccine debacle in 1976 “is like saying a plane crashed 33 years ago so I’ll never fly again,” said Dr. Richard Daines, New York State health commissioner.

 

New York is the only state in the nation to require that health care workers be vaccinated, though other states are considering such measures. Health workers, including doctors, must be immunized by Nov. 30. Opponents say it’s simply unnecessary.

 

Several registered nurses said they will neither contract nor transmit the flu because they’re constantly washing their hands.

 

While dozens of demonstrators are expected at the rally from throughout the state, many are from Stony Brook University Medical Center. A meeting was held last week for hospital staff on the importance of vaccination for health care workers; a special session was held for employees in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, because many nurses there had expressed concern about the vaccination plan.

 

“We cannot force employees to be vaccinated; however we do not have an infinite number of non-patient care positions available to reassign those who simply refuse the vaccine,” said hospital spokeswoman Lauren Sheprow.

 

Darcy Wells, spokeswoman for the Public Employees Federation, which represents 9,000 health care workers statewide, including 3,000 at Stony Brook, said the union disapproves of mandatory vaccination, but is urging members to comply with the regulation.

 

The opponents also say it’s wrong that all five swine flu vaccine makers contracting with the federal government have been indemnified against lawsuits if someone gets sick or dies.

 

Daines said the vaccination directive stemmed from particular concern about institutional outbreaks — in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice centers. In a typical year, only 40 percent to 50 percent of health care workers take advantage of voluntary flu vaccination programs, and the state has about 150 institutional outbreaks of influenza. But with seasonal and H1N1 in circulation in the fall, institutional outbreaks could worsen.

 

“Anyone who is concerned about the safety of the vaccine should read about the death of a previously healthy nurse in California who died of H1N1,” Daines said.

 

He referred to a 51-year-old nurse in Carmichael, Calif., who died in July after she was exposed to swine flu on the job.

 

Reed and Kristi Tramposch, both registered nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit at Stony Brook University Medical Center, say as parents of a child with an autism spectrum disorder, they oppose vaccination because of possible links to the neurodevelopmental condition.

 

“There are a lot of toxic substances that go into vaccines,” Kristi Tramposch said. “I would like to see a lot of people get it [the swine flu vaccine] before I consider it.”

 

Daines expressed dismay that neonatal intensive care nurses would consider shunning flu shots for personal or philosophical reasons. More than simply protecting themselves from infection, he added, health care providers are also protecting patients from the flu.

 

Like other protesters, the Tramposches said the newly approved H1N1 vaccine is no different from the swine flu immunization of 1976, which was linked to the nerve-damaging disorder Guillain Barre syndrome, and even death.

 

But Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of infectious diseases at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, said while he questions the state’s move to make flu shots mandatory now, he said no relationship exists between the vaccine of 33 years ago and the current vaccine.

 

 

“I took the swine flu vaccine in 1976,” said Farber, “and I plan to take the H1N1 flu vaccine now.”

 

 

[zophiel]

My mom's a nurse at a hospital downtown (DC), and she's already stated her objections due to her history of violent reactions to flu shots. She's told her bosses that if they make it mandatory (which they're discussing), she'll only comply if they sign a form conceding Workman's Comp if she gets sick-- and some of the other nurses in her unit will be doing the same.

 

If it becomes a regulation issue, who knows? But she hasn't taken a shot for years simply because she ended up sicker with the vaccine than she did without-- if fact, years she hasn't had it, she rarely gets sick at all.

[Granny]

Had heard medical workers in military hospitals were given the "be vaccinated or be fired" mandates but not private sector. Not only that, they were being told liable for cost of their treatment if get sick from the flu. Got my views on mandatory "anything" ( ) so trying to think objectively here.

Nobody should have to be vaccinated against their will. However, when does a workplace not have the right to set policies as condition of employment? Sadly the be vaccinated or be fired might be most unfortunate and ethical workplace dilema of all. The person does still have the right to seek other employment.

 

Employers can't force health choices (though they try by higher insurance premium for the smokers or overweight peoples like me .) But if worker might transmit H1N1 flu to patients, or babies too young for vaccine option, the proxy group might make some sense as work policy. The very purpose of the hospital would be opposite of adding further complications of any new illness on top of existing problems.

 

Feel for both sides of the equasion; and sure wouldn't want to be put in position these workers are. Did wonder at the nurses who said won't (ever?) contract <thus transmit> the flu because of handwashing. HW does help control illness, but come on, flu germs are airborne as well as doorknobs, hard surfaces. Isn't it reported average person touches their face, mouth, nose 16x an hour. A trip to wallyworld can take hour, thats a lot of consistent handwashing. Unless there's no germs at wallyworld.

 

In the long run, really doesn't matter who is right on any risk to the patients from staff. Whether the vaccine is safe or even effective. The issue is who gets to decide rules of workplace. The same debate of workers comp occured with smallpox. Depending on how the insurance carrier ruled, some places decided their workers shouldn't get it after all.

[Mea]

Mandatory flu vaccination splits workers

Refusing to be immunized against H1N1 because of the vaccine debacle in 1976 "is like saying a plane crashed 33 years ago so I'll never fly again," said Dr. Richard Daines, New York State health commissioner.

 

Daines expressed dismay that neonatal intensive care nurses would consider shunning flu shots for personal or philosophical reasons. More than simply protecting themselves from infection, he added, health care providers are also protecting patients from the flu.

 

I saw this on Albany, NY news yesterday. Interesting ..... IF i remember correctly, from the TV news story, the person issuing the mandatory vaccination order....... stated that he would not put himself at the top of the list to get the shot, as those that have close patient contact should have priority.

[Katz25]

I think this is very scarey issue..threatening people with losing their job unless they comply and take the shots. Who's to say they wouldn't do the same to us with some other threat? I'm just saying I don't trust our government I guess. I feel like this government is taking our freedoms away little by little. I was proud of the people standing up against them. The one I saw was New York and they were threatening law suits if they lost their job.

[TheCG]

I'm rather curious, what if one of those workers is allergic to eggs? Isn't that a contraindication for having most vaccines?