Some health care experts have been supportive of this requirement:
Dr. Julie Gerberding, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called New York’s move “a big deal.”
She had pushed for years for mandatory vaccinations — not just to protect health care workers, she explained, but to protect their patients, who are often aged, have weakened immune systems or are bedridden after surgery, which increases pneumonia risks.
“We tried to market the idea, to push people, to educate,” she said. “But looking back, broadly speaking, we failed. It’s time to look at a more aggressive approach.”
Others have expressed concerns about the safety of the vaccine and forcing people to take agains their will:
In response to the New York state vaccine mandate, the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) released a statement stating "vaccination for influenza is not as effective in the control of disease as vaccination for diseases such as polio, measles, and mumps. The safety of the H1N1 vaccine has not been as thoroughly established."
It should be noted that:
Every state already requires health workers to be immunized against measles, mumps and polio, and the unions do not object. Also, federal law requires their employers to offer free hepatitis shots against needle-stick injuries, and California requires them to offer free flu shots too. While workers may decline, they must sign a form saying they accept the risk.
Do health care workers have an obligation to get the flu shot in order to prevent their patients from getting the flu? Many who may already be the most vulnerable to effects of the flu may be in hospitals where the caregivers are not themselves protected from contracting the flu. How many lives may be saved if hospital workers have been vaccinated? On the other hand, should workers be forced to take the shots if they have a fear about the safety of the vaccine since its testing period has been over a much shorter time than usual?
HMMMM Force someone t o do something that they do not want to do……does that not take the choice away from the person…..especially considering that the H1N1 vaccine is not guaranteed to work!!!! That is not only wrong it is crazy. As far as the patients go if they are high risk they should be getting the vaccine THEMSLEVES and have THEMSELVES already protected. It CANNOT nor should it be the government’s decision about what people inject into their bodies. This is America not Nazi Germany.
ReplyDeleteIm with Michelle on this one...I do not think that anyone should get the vaccine if they do not want too. I think that this is a personal decision and then not even knowing if this is going to work or not and the gov't is making them do it!!! I've always heard that when getting the flu shot that you are injecting the flu into your body, what is the point in getting that and how do we even know if this vaccine will work. I think they the state of NY should protest against making them have the vaccine =)
ReplyDeleteI have never believed in getting vaccinated and forcing someone to get vaccinated is wrong. What if a person, like me, is allergic to the vaccine? It's not going to do us a dang bit of good if it immediately makes us sick. Vaccines aren't right for every person and if someone wants to take the risk and get sick, then they should be left to make that decision for themselves. I think it's a complete crock.
ReplyDeleteYeah they can't force anybody to get vaccinated. But they should definitely stay home if they even have the signs of swine flu so that they won't inadvertently infect patients. I'd understand if there was some sort of punishment for people who unintentionally spread the flu after saying no to the vaccine.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, for a couple years there have been signs all over the hospitals and doctors offices that say that there's nothing wrong in asking your doctors & nurses to wash their hands. So do it.
I agree with the others...I think it should be one's choice if they choose to get vaccinated. I worked in the medical field for years, and no vaccinations at that time were mandatory. I think people are, or should be, well aware of the risks involved when opting not to get a vaccination, and typically one has to decline the vaccination in writing, where a description of the purpose of the vaccine is attached. There certainly are other alternatives so to speak, perhaps a mask, gloves, gowns, etc... if one with a suppressed immune system has to be exposed to someone who hasn't had a vaccination, such as their caretaker. In addition, just using universal precautions (i.e. washing hands) can prevent a lot germ spreading and contamination.
ReplyDeleteAfter I watch something on the evening news about the Swine flu vaccination back in 1976 and that after 3 years several hundred people experienced paralazis which was directly contributed to the swine flue vaccine...The new H1N1 vaccine has not been out long enough to know all the effects and why cant the people in the hospital take the vaccine if they are so cocerned about them...HAVE THEM TAKE IT and leave the employees alone.
ReplyDeleteI do not think a person should be forced to take the vaccination if they do not want to. It's their choice. Especially since the vaccination is so new, who knows what the side effects are. In the 1970's they had a similar outbreak of the swine flu and the vaccine ended up giving people GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome)who knows what it will cause now.
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