Mandatory Flu Vaccines- How do you feel?

Nurses COVID

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Anyone else upset by the requirement to take flu vaccine or else... not even a mask option??? Only way out is a MD note stating "severe" allergy. Why is it we can't force our patients but our hospitals can force us.

I am pregnant and know I am high risk, but I took the vaccine in my last pregnancy and my son has an egg allergy. No proof linking, but no study not linking. I am so close to maternity leave and was going to wait until I delivered to be vaccinated. Do you know that they don't recommend the flu vaccine until a baby is 6 months but somehow it is safe for a near term "fetus"? Shouldn't we have the right to say no, just like out patients?

At my local pharmacy there is a whiteboard that says " Flu shot goal = 100 this week." I know the pharmacy tech personally and ask her about the goal. She tells me that if the goal is reached there are bonuses for the pharmacy. Also, at my kids' pediatricians office they receive bonuses for getting a certain percentage of patients vaccinated with the whole laundry list of vaccines. I definitely feel that increased money is the motivating factor here.

That is both sad and scary. I heard something similar from a pharmacist also. And that same pharmacist shared the same frustration with me about the 100% immunity myth.

Specializes in Psych/AOD.
That is both sad and scary. I heard something similar from a pharmacist also. And that same pharmacist shared the same frustration with me about the 100% immunity myth.

Apparently the flu shot for this year was derived last year based on predictions of what strains MIGHT be around this year. Fortune telling snake oil salesmen comes to mind here.

And I think they are using the same strains this year that they have the past three, and they were the wrong strains the previous two years

Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

One of our local hospitals does something right: compromise. You don't have to get the shot, but they encourage it. And if you get it, documented, and then proceed to get sick with flu-like symptoms, documented, you are paid. Not paid like it's your sick time, but paid with all your differentials, etc. and it does not come out of any of your time. The facility just pays you. I think it's a good incentive, those who know the shot makes them ill will be somewhat more likely to get it knowing they will not lose their income for a week.

I have asked my current employer to consider such an incentive. I think it would help. For myself, I consider the whole flu season as one big crapshoot. I had the flu when I was 20, and I know I haven't had it since because nothing has felt that bad in 24 years. The closest I ever came was one day of high fever and aches that wound up being 14 days prior to my first outbreak of shingles. But the flu? That was a week of that crap. There are bugs everywhere, all sorts of things I can catch or my body can just do to me out of spite (autoimmune things, shingles, etc) that could all take me down anywhere from a week to forever. So I get the vaccine, because I really don't want my daughter exposed, and I wash my hands obsessively for the same reason. I'll get what I get but I am not gonna make it easy to get me, and I would like more people to approach infection control seriously.

I love my job so if my employer told me it was mandatory to keep my position, I would gladly get the shot. That said, I have researched the flu vaccination and am comfortable with it. If they came up with some random series of vaccinations they said I "had" to get, we might have to talk. At that point I might start weighing my options a little more seriously.

As a side note, I'm really glad my employer doesn't make vaccinations mandatory. I'm a pretty firm believer in personal choice.

If you would gladly get the flu shot if it was mandated why don't you gladly get it now?

One of our local hospitals does something right: compromise. You don't have to get the shot, but they encourage it. And if you get it, documented, and then proceed to get sick with flu-like symptoms, documented, you are paid. Not paid like it's your sick time, but paid with all your differentials, etc. and it does not come out of any of your time. The facility just pays you. I think it's a good incentive, those who know the shot makes them ill will be somewhat more likely to get it knowing they will not lose their income for a week.

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Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Plain Language Summaries.

[h=1]Vaccines to prevent influenza in healthy adults[/h]First published: July 7, 2010; This version published: 2010; Review content assessed as up-to-date: June 02, 2010.

[h=2]Plain language summary[/h]Over 200 viruses cause influenza and influenza‐like illness which produce the same symptoms (fever, headache, aches and pains, cough and runny noses). Without laboratory tests, doctors cannot tell the two illnesses apart. Both last for days and rarely lead to death or serious illness. At best, vaccines might be effective against only influenza A and B, which represent about 10% of all circulating viruses. Each year, the World Health Organization recommends which viral strains should be included in vaccinations for the forthcoming season.

So, do people who don't get the shot get blamed for having the flu no matter what? And people who get the shot must have something else? Do they do laboratory test on everyone to make sure? This seems to be a random, unscientific witch hunt.

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Texas has a new law for all healthcare workers requiring the flu vaccine or wear a mask during flu season. The idea is not to spread the disease. Do you really want a nurse to be the one who infects patients and visitors in a hospital setting? The flu vaccine is not a live vaccine. Really educate yourself if you chose not to get it. A minor inconvenience, in my opinion, versus serious illness.

In the past year I have taken care of 2 pts whom were isolated for flu. Compare that to the uncountable number of MRSA pts I have cared for. Makes me wonder why I didn't get swabbed for MRSA when I got my flu vaccine. Just saying................

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

Wow! Just Wow! You even admit you've cared for some poor person who got guillian barre from the flu vaccine and you still have the NERVE to say go ahead and mandate it, to hell with whoever the poor suckers are who end up paralyzed or dead! That is just disgusting! What a patient advocate! WOW!

The" poor person" even thinks the risks outweigh the benefits. He agrees that he just "won the lottery" ( his words). I do support the mandate because I feel that as caregivers, we have an obligation to protect our patients. If you are allergic or are pregnant you should be able to wear a mask, but that's all. It's about protecting as many people as we can. The fact is that more lives are saved from getting the flu shot than not. I think it's unfortunate thy some people have such a severe reaction to it. I would argue its discussing for someone to refuse to get it when they could potentially save lives by doing so. So yeah, I have the nerve.

"No day but today"

Two of the letters are in opposition to the Feds mandating flu vaccines and the other opposes the flu vaccine AND requirement for masks.

Since we are discussing the right of employers mandating the vaccine, none of those addresses the current topic.

The Feds *are* employers. Making a distinction of private sector employers vs. public sector employers being relevant to this topic is splitting hairs. The overall topic is *mandated* vaccination. So, I disagree. They are all relevant, IMHO.

If you would gladly get the flu shot if it was mandated why don't you gladly get it now?

It is not the matter of getting the flu shot. It is the false belief that it is 100% effective.

Texas has a new law for all healthcare workers requiring the flu vaccine or wear a mask during flu season. The idea is not to spread the disease. Do you really want a nurse to be the one who infects patients and visitors in a hospital setting? The flu vaccine is not a live vaccine. Really educate yourself if you chose not to get it. A minor inconvenience, in my opinion, versus serious illness.

The law states that the employer has the right to offer the mask option, and mine does not. The point I am trying to get across is just because you get the flu shot it does not mean the patients are protected. It is not 100% effective. if they did not pick the right strains, no one has protection from the flu. I have educated myself on the vaccine and the law, that is why I know this :banghead:

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