My employer (a hospital) really doesn't like the new Flumist flu vaccine.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Here’s the manufacturer’s information website.

I got a form letter from our hospital’s medical director today, about employees using Flumist as their vaccine of choice.

Yes, we can choose to use it, if:
a) we get signed permission from our manager for a 21 day leave, which
b) will not be paid by the hospital. We can use vacation time to pay ourselves, but not sick leave.
c) we agree to physically stay out of the hospital for those 21 days.

The key problems from his point of view, is that it is a live virus is delivered through a somewhat difficult to isolate nasal mist. And if this vaccine acts like other, similar virues, the vaccinatees (?) may themsevles be shedding virus for up to 21 days (hence the enforced leave). Also, the vaccine is not reccommended for anyone under five or over 50, or anyone with a compromised immune system.

The hospital is being very conservative about this. I approve.

2

Thanks for the heads up on Flumist.

3

That’s a neologism. A flumist, before the vaccine, was the fellow who ran the wet ride at Six Flags.

4

Sheesh! From what I’ve read on the site, it sounds like it would be easier (and cheaper) just to get the flu.

5

Oh, rats…

I was hoping…

I’ve got cancer. I should have a flu shot every year. AND i’m allergic to eggs. So, no flu shot, and no Flumist either. Besides, i’m 50, and they have a cutoff of 49.

The signif-other has had Guillien-Barre’ so we get yet another year of hoping neither one of us gets the flu.

They USED to make a non-egg-based flu shot. They stopped the year I was diagnosed with cancer. Two years later, my doctor told me that my egg allergy wasn’t THAT bad. Heh…yeah? Wanna tell that to the paramedics that had to intubate me?

Hmmm, maybe i’ll just go Pit the flu-shot manufacturers.