Apparently many health care workers have been protesting against being forced to get the H1N1 flu shot. In the above opinion article the author argues that it should be required of all health care workers or they should lose their jobs.
He says that when nearly 100% of health care workers have the flu shot, their patients are 40% less likely to get the flu. And patients, with already compromised immune systems, are the most likely to die from the flu.
A few could be exempted because of existing conditions, but should healthy health care workers be REQUIRED to get the H1N1 shot?
Since a person infected with influenza can spread the virus to other people for up to 48 hours before they themselves develop symptoms, the obvious answer to your question is yes. Healthcare workers have an obligation to do what’s in the best interest of their patients.
If it’s provided for free by the hospital/facilities, then yes, I agree they should get the shot unless they have a reasonable objection for doing so (one more stringent than suddenly discovering that it’s against my religious views sort of a deal. Ie: Documentation and proof of such things).
*ETA: Though I’m not in favor of them getting experimental vaccine or anything like that.
Just simply if there’s a reliable vaccine that’s available for the masses to get, then it should only be expected that the health service industry should lead by example and get the vaccines as well.
This is a no-brainer, like regular TB tests and a protocol after a needle stick, when you work in healthcare you do what’s best for your patients or you find a non-patient contact job.
Yes. No question. I work in a hospital lab and I am stunned at how many people I’m overhearing, spewing paranoid crap about the flu shots and loudly declaring they’re not getting one. It’s irresponsible.
My workplace (a medical center in Illinois) is requiring all employees with legitimate health concerns (egg allergy) or with religious objections to either the seasonal or H1N1 vaccines to file a claim in writing and to wear a mask at all times when in patient areas. I think this is probably the best workaround if you’re going to give any exemptions. Personally, I’d prefer to limit the exemptions to legitimate health concerns only, but I can see why a hospital might not want to open the religious faith can of worms. I just hope they’re going to be no-tolerance enforcing the rule.
My wife, as a former worker in a wildlife rescue center, is the only person I know who is current on her rabies shots. Not many people contract rabies in the US, but she’s ready for it.
It’s crazy for (human) medical workers to not take their required swine flu vaccination. They must’ve slept through some of their classes because I, a layman but WWI historian, freaked when it was classified as H1N1.
How many health workers can have religious objections to vaccinations? Seems like they’d have pretty low job satisfaction if they simultaneously thought modern medicine was sinful or unhealthy and were incharge of dispensing said medicine to others.
Honestly, I’d think most people would think of a free flu-shot as a perk of their job.
Here’s California’s take on it [see (a)], though that only applies to the seasonal flu vaccine, not H1N1.
I work in the office that gives employee flu shots for this hospital & clinic, my immediate boss runs the employee flu program. We offer it every weekday in our clinic, we hold nine well-publicized temporary flu clinics in various locations, and when we’re not doing that, we’ll literally wander around with a shopping cart stabbing people in hallways and meetings.
Personally, I also think it’s a no brainer. I was also first in line (literally, it’s a perk of working in this office) for the Pertussis vaccine when we got that in a few years ago.
And yes, people do resist. I saw one of the biggest bosses here a year or two ago and asked if she’d gotten her flu shot. She said “I don’t believe in it” and I responded “I’ve seen it with my own eyes, we really do have it.” :rolleyes: I figure if you work in a hospital and still believe that shit, there’s really nothing left but to shame.
pinkyvee Call your Employee Health or Occupational Health department (wherever you get your yearly TB test); they should have some idea.