Forced flu shot at work

celeste_xo

If you're working in a hospital, I totally understand. It's mandatory in the hospital where I work at as well and I would actually feel bad about subjecting any patients of mine to the flu just because I didn't feel like getting the shot.

celeste_xo

I would absolutely refuse. Contains thimerosol.

Actually, most current formulations of the influenza vaccine do not contain thimerosol.

And there are clinical trials showing thimerosol actually isn't even harmful. You can't listen to everything dumb politicians who are uninformed about science say...

healthyKYgirl

A huge part of me says "BUT IT'S YOUR CHOICE!!!!" But, at the same time, if you work in hospital... You're dealing with already sick people, and don't want to pass anything along to them -- you're also exposed to it much more than most people, and hospitals are (usually) under-staffed as it is.

In MY workplace, I'd be pretty pissed. In yours, I can understand the reasoning.

I work for a hospital too with the same policy, but I don't work in a hospital. I work in an office building doing IT/IS work in computers. I have no patient contact. Nor do I work with people who have patient contact. So what about people like me who are still forced to get a flu shot even without patient contact?

AnninStPaul

I would absolutely refuse. Contains thimerosol.
[/quote

Not necessarily - only the multi-dose vials have thimerosol. Single dose preparations do not.

ncthomas09

A huge part of me says "BUT IT'S YOUR CHOICE!!!!" But, at the same time, if you work in hospital... You're dealing with already sick people, and don't want to pass anything along to them -- you're also exposed to it much more than most people, and hospitals are (usually) under-staffed as it is.

In MY workplace, I'd be pretty pissed. In yours, I can understand the reasoning.

I work for a hospital too with the same policy, but I don't work in a hospital. I work in an office building doing IT/IS work in computers. I have no patient contact. Nor do I work with people who have patient contact. So what about people like me who are still forced to get a flu shot even without patient contact?

Where I totally understand what you are saying about being in IT (that's what my dad did in a hospital for years). It is much easier for a hospital to just say everyone rather than saying..."ok exclude IT, maintenance, etc."

sleepytexan

I would absolutely refuse. Contains thimerosol.

Actually, most current formulations of the influenza vaccine do not contain thimerosol.

And there are clinical trials showing thimerosol actually isn't even harmful. You can't listen to everything dumb politicians who are uninformed about science say...

Really? you can inject that **** into your veins if you like. Back in 1997 when I believed everything that the MDs said, I let them inject that **** into my baby; and he was forever harmed. FOREVER. Yes, those "possible side effects" listed on the consent form happened.

Thimerosal is poison. and it is NOT true that most current formulations don't contain it. Look right on the CDC website - - THE MAJORITY of formulations contain it. (BTW this goes for mercury fillings too--did you know when a dentist removes a mercury filling from your mouth it has to be disposed of via biohazard and is considered UNSAFE to go into a landfill)? That's right, they will inject it into your veins and bond it into your teeth, but the EPA has deemed it unsafe for a landfill. hmmmmmmmm.

Kelly50054

Off the subject a tad bit. Do you know that pharmacist how mix chemo get cancer themselves? Because it has cancer causing agents in it. There is one pharmacist who has not died from it as of yet and she has been spread the word to all who will listen.

ih82diet

I work in a hospital and I would be enraged if I were REQUIRED to have a flu shot. I am completely opposed to the idea of a person who has no risk factors (ie they are otherwise healthy) being forced to have a flu shot in order to protect others. My rationale is this: If the flu shot is given to all those who are at risk AND IT WORKS (as we are told it does) then why should I have a flu shot when I am not at risk of dying from the flu? The flu shot has become an employer driven program to help eliminate absences due to flu.It should not be given to anyone who is not at risk of a serious outcome from contracting the flu as I believe this is weakening our immune systems. If I were employed in a facility that was making the flu shot mandatory, I would proclaim an allergy to eggs which would contraindicate the innoculation (or I would get a Doctor's note as I know many of them share my sentiments!) Good luck!

Kelly50054

The worst place to be to catch germs is in a hospital. My sister was hospitalized earlier this year due to a heart attack and left there very sick with a cold.

Go1096

It would piss me off. I never take the flu shot and I've never gotten the flu yet. However, I know plenty of people who took it and got sick from the shot and got the flu anyway. I don't believe an employer should be able to force you to put anything you don't want into your body.

This! ^

EnchantedEvening

In my city, nurses are required to get vaccinated for Hep C if they haven't already. They also have to keep their TB and tetanus up to date, along with a slew of other vaccinations. The hospital covers the costs since it's mandated. I really don't see the big deal with adding a flu shot into the mix. When you work in a medical setting, you have to take absolutely every single precaution possible for the protection of the patients and their families.

Think of it this way: the hospital is often bound to their lawyers, who will do everything in their power to prevent a possible lawsuit. The second a nurse sneezes on Grandma, that nurse opens them up to a lawsuit if Grandma dies of pneumonia. Sure, it would be hard to prove that particular nurse caused it, but the hospital is still going to settle in order to keep it from going eight rounds in court.

Mr_Bad_Example

My hospital is demanding that everyone take the flu shot this year. You will be fired unless you have a Dr. Note or religous conviction. How would you feel about this at your work place?

If you work in a hospital, you have the health of others to be concerned about, not just your own. Suck it up and get the shot.

magj0y

Thimerosol has been used since the 1930s . The MMR started being used in the mid 60's.

If there was any correlation between Autism and vaccines, the rate of Autism would have sky rocketed decades ago.


Autism is typically detected at a specific age, which happens to coincide with vaccines. Does this mean the vaccine causes it?
No. Japan dropped the MMR and guess what? The rate of Autism GREW. Should the vaccines be scattered more due to the assault it does on the body by nature? Absolutely. (SOOO glad I didn't have the internet when my kids were under 3!!!)
With people spouting

There are side affects to every drug out there. I've had Epilepsy since I was 11 and the doctors were never able to fully control my seizures until I was *30* I couldn't drive til I was 32.
Guess what the side affect of one of the drugs I now take? Death. Your lips swell and you die.
Most every medicine out there has poison in it. The cure for cancer is pure poison. It's absolutely sad that children suffered these side affects due to vaccines, but a high percentage do not and is not a reason to not vaccinate children.

In roughly the last 150 years, measles has been estimated to have killed about 200 million people worldwide. During the 1850s, measles killed a fifth of Hawaii's people. In 1875, measles killed over 40,000 Fijians, approximately one-third of the population.
If less than 85% of people don't get vaccinated, there will be a huge epidemic of measles. This isn't something to take lightly.

Pertussis (whooping cough) was once a dreaded disease of childhood — killing 5,000 to 10,000 Americans a year from the 1920s through the 1940s — but is now a risk mostly to infants, to whom it is fatal in about 1 percent of cases. Most of the victims in Washington, as in previous outbreaks in other states, are between 8 and 12.

Small pox killed an estimated 400,000 Europeans per year during the closing years of the 18th century, During the 20th century, it is estimated that smallpox was responsible for 300–500 million deaths. As recently as early 1950s an estimated 50 million cases of smallpox occurred in the world each year. It was eradicated in '79 due to heavy vaccination.

To say vaccinations are evil and to discourage people from getting them is a huge disservice to children everywhere. Sure, space them out, that's fine. To to deny your child a vaccination is just begging for trouble.

Kaydoggie

I had the flu shot once,found out I was allergic and have never gotten another one.

sleepytexan

Thimerosol has been used since the 1930s . The MMR started being used in the mid 60's.

If there was any correlation between Autism and vaccines, the rate of Autism would have sky rocketed decades ago.


Autism is typically detected at a specific age, which happens to coincide with vaccines. Does this mean the vaccine causes it?
No. Japan dropped the MMR and guess what? The rate of Autism GREW. Should the vaccines be scattered more due to the assault it does on the body by nature? Absolutely. (SOOO glad I didn't have the internet when my kids were under 3!!!)
With people spouting

There are side affects to every drug out there. I've had Epilepsy since I was 11 and the doctors were never able to fully control my seizures until I was *30* I couldn't drive til I was 32.
Guess what the side affect of one of the drugs I now take? Death. Your lips swell and you die.
Most every medicine out there has poison in it. The cure for cancer is pure poison. It's absolutely sad that children suffered these side affects due to vaccines, but a high percentage do not and is not a reason to not vaccinate children.

In roughly the last 150 years, measles has been estimated to have killed about 200 million people worldwide. During the 1850s, measles killed a fifth of Hawaii's people. In 1875, measles killed over 40,000 Fijians, approximately one-third of the population.
If less than 85% of people don't get vaccinated, there will be a huge epidemic of measles. This isn't something to take lightly.

Pertussis (whooping cough) was once a dreaded disease of childhood — killing 5,000 to 10,000 Americans a year from the 1920s through the 1940s — but is now a risk mostly to infants, to whom it is fatal in about 1 percent of cases. Most of the victims in Washington, as in previous outbreaks in other states, are between 8 and 12.

Small pox killed an estimated 400,000 Europeans per year during the closing years of the 18th century, During the 20th century, it is estimated that smallpox was responsible for 300–500 million deaths. As recently as early 1950s an estimated 50 million cases of smallpox occurred in the world each year. It was eradicated in '79 due to heavy vaccination.

To say vaccinations are evil and to discourage people from getting them is a huge disservice to children everywhere. Sure, space them out, that's fine. To to deny your child a vaccination is just begging for trouble.

Thalidomide, DES, anyone? They always tell you it's safe until they can't anymore. The lemmings believe until they see with their own eyes. Then, they grieve.

juliekaiser1988

Suck it up. It's imperative that you aren't the culprit in spreading it. Take the shot and get over it. It's been mandatory in the hospitals I've worked in for several years now.

agentscully514

Thalidomide, DES, anyone? They always tell you it's safe until they can't anymore. The lemmings believe until they see with their own eyes. Then, they grieve.

guess what? thalidomide is a good drug, when used for the RIGHT reasons in the RIGHT people! it is a great drug for treating leprosy, as well as some complications associated with HIV. drugs are powerful things, but they are AMAZING when used correctly.

EnchantedEvening

Thalidomide, DES, anyone? They always tell you it's safe until they can't anymore. The lemmings believe until they see with their own eyes.

No, the lemmings listen to celebrities like Jenny McCarthy instead of scientists and physicians.

Infants who aren't old enough to get the whooping cough vaccine can catch it from five-year old Johnny when he brings it to day care, so the whole, "You vaccinate your kids and stop worrying about mine," argument is completely invalid. If my baby died of whooping cough because someone was too stupid/scared to vaccinate their child, I would do everything in my power to own everything they currently have.

Autism is still/finally gaining ground. It really wasn't apparent/obvious/talked about until twenty years ago. It was still a huge mystery to a lot of people. Doctors are getting better at recognizing the symptoms, which usually don't show until children at at the age where they're getting their second/third round of vaccinations.

joesteele

There is a lot of bad science in this thread. Some of you should stop believing what you read on the internet and start reading peer-reviewed scientific studies. When you stop buying into conspiracies and start reading the science, you'll see the benefits of these vaccinations far outweigh the risks.

JMTJoop

It's a flu shot, not some experimental vaccine. Every year they develop the new shot based on the most prevalent strain of the flu. Why would you not want to get it? I think people are to quick to react negatively when they are told they 'have' to do something. It's in your best interest, and when your employer knows you will be constantly exposed, honestly it is their responsbility to provide you with a way to stay safe. I get some people do have compelling personal reasons against vaccines, and there are people who legitimately get the flu from the live vaccine, (not the dead vaccine, which is most common) but refusing to take it just because you don't think they should tell you what to do would be like working at a construction site and not putting on a hard hat. You might think you'll see something falling in time to avoid it, you might be worried about hat head, but why chance it when you know gravity is always there?