Getting vaccinated after contracting the flu?

morte, LPN, LVN · Sep 24, 2009

We have been told if we don't get vaccinated for seasonal flu by October 1st and for H1N1 as soon as the vaccine is available we will have to wear a surgical mask at all times when in the hospital.
No one on our unit plans to refuse to be vaccinated.
But they are telling us we must get vaccinated after contracting the flu.
One person has recovered from H1N1 and is still told she must be vaccinated or wear a mask.
The management says it is to prevent spreading it to others.
Is there a recommentation regarding getting vaccinated after contracting the flu?

this makes no freakin sense, i would be talking to an ID doc about this and maybe the CDC.....and i thought it was not airborn, so why the mask?

RuRnurse? · Sep 24, 2009

Nothing about this situation makes any freakin' sense, morte. That is why I am NOT participating. Too many unanswered questions, too much "rush, rush, rush!". No thanks, at least for me.

Does anyone else see something very wrong with this whole "forcing vaccination" thing? What about this flu has everyone so frightened? From where I'm sitting, this flu is no better or worse than the regular seasonal flu. It hits a different age group hardest, but it isn't some kind of slate-wiper, so why all the fear and panic?

I wonder if someone made a boo-boo, and trying to do a bit of damage-control. I'm not generally a conspiracy-theorist, but the more I learn about this situation, the more hinky it becomes...

indigo girl · Sep 24, 2009

i thought it was not airborn, so why the mask?

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/biz-plan/news/sep0309iom.html

On the murky question of the extent to which flu viruses spread through the air, the IOM committee concluded that studies show that "airborne (inhalation) transmission is one of the potential routes of transmission."
The panel said it found few studies comparing the effectiveness of N95 respirators and medical masks in clinical settings, although several studies are under way. Hence the group based its decisions on comparisons of the two kinds of protection in controlled experiments. Those studies show that medical masks are unlikely to be effective in preventing aerosol transmission, the report says.
In view of that evidence, the panel recommends that health workers in close contact with patients who have novel H1N1 flu or flu-like illness should wear fit-tested N95 respirators or respirators that are "demonstrably more effective." The report specifically endorses the current CDC guidance and says it should be followed until there is evidence that other forms of protection work as well or better.

lamazeteacher · Sep 25, 2009

The wacky element here, is that "seasonal" flu prevention is being lumped along with H1N1 flu. The original poster has illuminated an administration's disregard of regulations that made it necessary, years ago, to have employees sign a form saying they refused Hep B vaccine after being told its benefits, and repercussions of not taking it. That's really all that is allowed legally, to emphasize the need for any vaccines.

The vaccine that is now available, and which is the only possible one that can be given by Oct. 1, 2009, is the seasonal flu vaccine. That is a vaccine with 3 different attenuated viruses in it. It is highly unlikely that anyone has been ill this year, in U.S. with any of those viruses, which are selected as those that will arrive here from this Dec. '09 though April '10. (It's possible that one could have landed earlier, due to modern travel to and from the Orient.)

H1N1 flu which has been positively identified when someone becomes ill with flu s/s is still questionnable, because of the number of false positives (and negatives) with currently used instant tests for it. Nothing is known about immunity attained by having H1N1 flu, using a sufficient number of positively identified cases of H1N1 becoming reinfected (or not). There just hasn't been enough time for proper identification of both illnesses in specific individuals, by waiting for enough time to pass, for reinfection of someone who had been identified previously as having that flu. the development of a reliable antigen/antibody test.

Also, if a person had Tamiflu (or another antiviral) when the first illness occurred, before there was enough time for them to develop antibodies against H1N1, it would be doubtful that they indeed had it the first time...... Most research isn't allowed to endanger patients who could become mortally ill, so witholding Tamiflu or another antiviral the second time H1N1 caused s/s, wouldn't be allowed to happen.

'Tis a puzzlement, as the King of Siam said in the "King and I".

It will be interesting to see if any facilities test for H1N1 antibodies before and after the vaccine is given, which might prove immunity following immunization.

HonestRN · Sep 28, 2009

From the Sept 18, 2009 CDC Press briefing

JoNel Aleccia: Thanks. Thanks for taking the call. You know, we've had so many people come down with H1N1 already. And the question I seem to be hearing over and over again is they're wondering if they're protected against the virus and if they should still go ahead and get the vaccine when it becomes available. What advice are you giving them?
Glen Nowak: Sure. We'll have Dr. Butler answer that question as well.
Jay Butler: People who have actually been infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus likely do have some immunity. But the important issue is whether they know that's in fact what they were infected with. And the vast majority of cases occur without laboratory confirmation. It's also important to realize that most -- that many cases of influenza-like illness may not be caused by the 2009 H1N1. Early in the epidemic we had other strains of influenza circulating. There are other viruses that can make people ill as well. So even if someone has had an illness that was similar to influenza, even if there was perhaps a clinical diagnosis of H1N1 infection made, a recommendation would still be to receive the vaccine so you know you're immune. There's no evidence that even if you have immunity getting the vaccine would cause problems or increase the chances of a reaction. So that would be our recommendation. Certainly for myself, if I had been ill in the past six months without a lab confirmation I would definitely want to get the vaccine.

http://cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t090918.htm