Forced flu shot at work

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  • cawmacomber
    cawmacomber Posts: 12
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    As much as I believe it is the choice of the person whether or not to get a flu shot...I fully understand receiving one if you are working in a medical facility of any type. Ever wonder why children are not allowed in certain areas of medical facilities unless they are the ones being treated? Cancer centers don't even want kids in the building/area at all unless they are the patient.

    I never thought I would get a flu shot until after I underwent chemotherapy which wiped out the majority of my remaining immunities, after the cancer did its part.

    It is soooo easy to get sick when undergoing different treatments even with precautions, and the remedies are less than a handful. For instance there were only 2 antibiotics I could take if I were to get sick during treatment, plus the fact that if you get sick (even just a cold) while being treated, your treatments can become delayed, which in turn can start a complete downhill spiral.

    After 11 years and flu shots, I've managed to rebuild a lot of my immunities (thanks also to illnesses brought home from school), but still easily catch anything that's out there, even with taking precautions. My 12 year old and I have roughly the same immunities now :-)

    The point here is people still need to be able to rely on medical staff being well when treating us, and a flu shot is one step closer to that. And yes, I have insisted on someone else treating me or the kids when the staffer assigned us looked sick or was sneezing/coughing/etc.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
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    It never ceases to amaze me that when a person voices an opinion that is not the same as their own, others seem to think it is okay to bash them. What ever happened to civilized conversation and sharing of ones convictions without the need to have to humiliate and belittle??

    I completely agree with you.
  • mmarlow61
    mmarlow61 Posts: 112 Member
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    I'm screaming NO NO NO It's MY choice! I'm a teacher and too am exposed to the flu. We are offered flu shots as a group at a reduced rate. HOWEVER the last and ONLY two times I EVER took the shot I wound up taking a week off because I HAD THE FLU!!! While I can see the reasoning behind requiring the shot, I can also see why it could be detrimental. The shot definitely is not a blanket cure for everyone!
  • kellygirl324
    kellygirl324 Posts: 74 Member
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    I'm all for it. If you chose to work in a hospital than you should do everything you can to not get sick and spread illness. If you don't want to follow those rules, go into home healthcare were you can be your own boss.

    Yes I see what you mean but I work in an office away from patients.

    There may already be a response to this.
    Although you may work in the office away from patients, if you became infected, you could infect another coworker who works with patients.
    I live in NC, and Im not sure if it's statewide, but here where I live, it is also a requirement at the hospital.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
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    Hospitals are finacially motivated to make employees get flu shots. If they don't Medicare and Medicaid will withhold 2% of payments if a certain # of employees dont get it. Next year the CDC will be on board with mandating this for all healthcare institutions.

    Yeah, sounds like more government control of your life to me. Oh, I'm not even going to get started on this. :explode:
  • Xstitcher74
    Xstitcher74 Posts: 124 Member
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    Religious Conviction. I have never had a flu shot. My employer offered to pay one year and I declined. He said that was fine.
  • HotAshMess
    HotAshMess Posts: 382 Member
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    My hospital did this too. I would claim religious conviction and call it a day.
  • Chowder_17
    Chowder_17 Posts: 141 Member
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    I'm military, I have no choice, I signed a contract, I'll get over it.
  • christimw
    christimw Posts: 183 Member
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    Hospitals are finacially motivated to make employees get flu shots. If they don't Medicare and Medicaid will withhold 2% of payments if a certain # of employees dont get it. Next year the CDC will be on board with mandating this for all healthcare institutions.

    Yeah, sounds like more government control of your life to me. Oh, I'm not even going to get started on this. :explode:

    I agree 100000000000000000000%
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    It never ceases to amaze me that when a person voices an opinion that is not the same as their own, others seem to think it is okay to bash them. What ever happened to civilized conversation and sharing of ones convictions without the need to have to humiliate and belittle??

    I completely agree with you.

    Unfortunately whenever a subject that is the source of heated debate is brought to the forums, you are likely to get both very strong negative and very strong positive reactions...and if I've learned ANYTHING about the MFP forums, it's that strong negative reactions bring about rudeness in some individuals...it's just how it is. Sad but true.
  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
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    I'm military, I have no choice, I signed a contract, I'll get over it.

    Same here... and having gotten it the last however many straight years... I'm afraid that if I don't I'll get really sick with the flu because my body's so used to having that shot. :ohwell:
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    They strongly encourage us to get it at work-they have not yet made it mandatory...I always get it anyway because I have type I Diabetes which puts me at a huge risk if I ever get the flu.
  • christimw
    christimw Posts: 183 Member
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    It never ceases to amaze me that when a person voices an opinion that is not the same as their own, others seem to think it is okay to bash them. What ever happened to civilized conversation and sharing of ones convictions without the need to have to humiliate and belittle??

    I completely agree with you.

    Unfortunately whenever a subject that is the source of heated debate is brought to the forums, you are likely to get both very strong negative and very strong positive reactions...and if I've learned ANYTHING about the MFP forums, it's that strong negative reactions bring about rudeness in some individuals...it's just how it is. Sad but true.

    I hope I wasn't coming off as rude, that wasn't my intent at all. It just gets to me when people think I'm just some fool afraid of vaccines. Especially people who don't know me, or what brought me to research and come to my decision. I would never tell anyone NOT to vaccinate, or TO vaccinate. I encourage EVERYONE to do their own research. If they truly want information, I'm happy to share what I have and what I know, but I'm not going to belittle them or push MY beliefs onto them. It's a personal decision, just like what you eat. You just have to find out what works best for you and your family. If getting the flu vax, or any others work and you believe they work, that's all that should matter to you, and good for you for doing what you feel is best for your family. :)
  • JACKYGETNMYBODYBACK
    JACKYGETNMYBODYBACK Posts: 91 Member
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    no shot no job at Children' Hospital of Philadelphia -period they will fire you
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    It never ceases to amaze me that when a person voices an opinion that is not the same as their own, others seem to think it is okay to bash them. What ever happened to civilized conversation and sharing of ones convictions without the need to have to humiliate and belittle??

    I completely agree with you.

    Unfortunately whenever a subject that is the source of heated debate is brought to the forums, you are likely to get both very strong negative and very strong positive reactions...and if I've learned ANYTHING about the MFP forums, it's that strong negative reactions bring about rudeness in some individuals...it's just how it is. Sad but true.

    I hope I wasn't coming off as rude, that wasn't my intent at all. It just gets to me when people think I'm just some fool afraid of vaccines. Especially people who don't know me, or what brought me to research and come to my decision. I would never tell anyone NOT to vaccinate, or TO vaccinate. I encourage EVERYONE to do their own research. If they truly want information, I'm happy to share what I have and what I know, but I'm not going to belittle them or push MY beliefs onto them. It's a personal decision, just like what you eat. You just have to find out what works best for you and your family. If getting the flu vax, or any others work and you believe they work, that's all that should matter to you, and good for you for doing what you feel is best for your family. :)

    Meh-we all know the type of individual I'm referring to...there are rude people everywhere and MFP is no exception. I wasn't pointing the finger at anyone in particular. :)
  • cawmacomber
    cawmacomber Posts: 12
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    Your kids have never been sick because you are relying on ALL the other children who DID get their MMRs and other vaccines not to infect them. As more people are taken in by fear mongering, anti-vaccine folderol, your children won't be protected by herd immunity - something they take advantage of, but contribute nothing to. And I say this as someone who *is* immunocompromised due to a kidney transplant and STILL gets their vaccines on schedule.

    No, I'm relying on building their immune systems and teaching the proper hygiene. Being vaccinated, YOU will be carrying that virus/disease and YOU can spread it to my child from simply having the vaccine. If vaccines are so wonderful then why do vaccinated children STILL get things they are vaccinated for? Sorry, until it's 100% proven that vaccines are 100% safe and 100% effective at eliminating illness, me and my children won't get them. I'm not into being a guinea pig for the government and sick care system. That's just me though.

    and you are a fool if you think that is what you are doing.

    Polio has been eradicated in the US because of vaccinations. However, all it takes is a person getting on an airplane who is a carrier for polio from an area of the world that is NOT polio free to re-introduce it to your child. Hope you enjoy standing on your convictions then. Maybe you can fnd some other nutter to "pray the polio away"
    As far as being 100%. thats a non sequiter. Nothing in science will ever be 100%. thats not the way science works. Howvever there are mountains of evidence that show the positive effects of vaccinations.

    you are simply allowing your children to hide in the "herd" of other children who have responsible parents. When irresponsibility becomes the majority (ie, what you are advocating) hiding will not be an option. measels, diptheria, polia, etc will once again become part of our population.

    I do not understand how in this day and age p[eople can be as dumb as they are in the face of as much information as we have access to.

    Oh...dang those vaccines.... :-0

    If it weren't for all those that did vaccinate their kids, our entire school system would've been shut down for a couple months last year after the super bowl. Someone came in from out of town with the measles, and people that had not been vaccinated caught it and took the virus to school. That was joyful - not. Luckily, my kids were vaccinated and they did not contract it, but meanwhile, all pregnant teachers were suddenly on maternity leave to ensure a healthy baby.

    Also, luckily, the school system was very diligent about cleaning up during and at the end of each day. Needless to say, being a cancer survivor with a still somewhat suppressed immune system, I did not go near the schools during that time unless I absolutely had to and extra precautions for the kids were taken as they came through the door each day.

    I prefer to hope that my childhood vaccines are still intact, but I don't plan on testing them out on purpose. If I could be re-vaccinated, I would. Unfortunately, age and the uncertainty of continued immunity from the vaccines precludes that.

    Oh, and don't forget the damage you can be causing your children when they are over 18 and suddenly contracting the measles, chicken pox, mumps, rubella, etc. Unless of course you have already undergone the "old" way of making sure they contract them as children. Remember, damages can range from the illness being twice as bad, to sterilization, to complications, to death. Let's not forget these are life choice decisions you have made for them. And a life choice decision you have made for pregnant women - chicken pox can be deadly to a fetus if a pregnant woman comes into contact with someone with chicken pox or shingles.

    On a side note - to travel outside the country - they will need to be vaccinated. You may not travel now, but what if they want or need to as they get older.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
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    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?

    you could get by with a religious conviction pretty easily.
    It's easy to twist words to justify what you want to do/ don't want to do.

    The usual wording is "conscience or religious belief" and includes such wording as: "the requirements of . . . conflict with my sincerely held convictions based on religion or conscience."
  • tasiamere
    tasiamere Posts: 233
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    My job just implemented the same thing...never had it and don't plan on getting it. I think I should be able to decide whether I have one and if that means I decide not to work here so be it...
  • jskaggs1971
    jskaggs1971 Posts: 371 Member
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    This is a touchy topic (obviously). I personally can't have most vaccines -- it's not a belief or a religious thing with me, but egg allergies. That means I haven't had most of the normal childhood vaccines -- Measles, Mumps, DTaP, Flu de jure, etc. etc.

    I have to count on the people around me to be vaccinated and not spread diseases that can really work me over. Most of them don't scare me much, but I really don't want to get Mumps at an adult. Anyhow, it's something to think about -- vaccines don't just protect the people getting them, but they help contain the spread of disease to people who can't have vaccines.

    True story: When I was in college (many, many moons ago), there was a measles outbreak on campus. I was barred from classes for two weeks because I wasn't vaccinated, until the outbreak calmed down. I failed two labs over it.
  • christimw
    christimw Posts: 183 Member
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    True story: When I was in college (many, many moons ago), there was a measles outbreak on campus. I was barred from classes for two weeks because I wasn't vaccinated, until the outbreak calmed down. I failed two labs over it.

    My girls are in K and 7th, and if an outbreak occurs they are excused and cannot return until the outbreak is over and you can make arrangements for them to do their work at home. Obviously not college, but they do make it reasonable so they don't get behind or fail. I know that the waivers they have cover them throughout the 12th grade, but I haven't looked at college requirements. But by then, they will be old enough to choose what goes into their bodies.

    anyway, no real point here, just bored and rambling. :) it sure beats being bored and stuffing myself. :P

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