# Health Care Workers Protest Mandatory H1N1 Vaccination



## Sasha (Sep 30, 2009)

I stole this from EMTCity, where it was posted by our very own VentMedic who never posted it here. Thought it could spark some interesting posts.

Pretty please with sprinkles and cherries keep it CIVIL.

*Health Care Workers Protest Mandatory H1N1 Vaccination*
Full Article:http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/29/taking_liberties/entry5349581.shtml


> Health care workers are planning to take to the streets Tuesday at a rally in front of the Albany, N.Y. state capitol to protest mandatory vaccination.
> 
> The rally is intended to call for "freedom of choice in vaccination and health care" and to protest mandatory vaccination for influenza and the H1N1 swine flu. "This vaccine has not been clinically tested to the same degree as the regular flu vaccine," Tara Accavallo, a registered nurse on Long Island, told Newsday. "If something happens to me, if I get seriously injured from this vaccine, who's going to help me?"


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## el Murpharino (Sep 30, 2009)

Do the benefits (not getting the H1N1 vaccine) outweigh the risks (getting the H1N1/complications from the vaccine)?  I don't know if we can give a definitive answer to that, but with the expectation that this flu season is going to be worse than normal, it would be wise for every healthcare provider to be as healthy as possible...if only for that I think we'll see more providers than normal taking time off from work leading to a severe shortstaffing of facilities.


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## mycrofft (Sep 30, 2009)

*You cannot be forced to undergo immunization.*

You may be forced to defend your self legally, but unless it was a condition of employment only a declaration of emergency can force you to...and even then yo can fight it.
Myself, I'm getting it. I had #1 of the two needed in 1977, no biggee for me.


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## reaper (Sep 30, 2009)

They cannot force you to take a vaccine. I will just claim religous reasons and all is well. Anyone want to join the church of EMS, free to all members!


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## Lifeguards For Life (Sep 30, 2009)

In my paramedic class, if we do not get the vaccine, we have to wear masks our full clinical shift, while at certain hospitals. one student claims to have had an allergic reaction to a similar vaccine before, and has to wear the mask the whole time while on clinical shift. Even in the break room.


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## ngbacon (Oct 1, 2009)

I have never gotten any type of flu vaccine and I don't believe I ever will.  I personally don't see the point in getting a vaccine for a virus that has thousands of variations and is constantly evolving into a more dangerous virus. (Mostly because of all the vaccines)


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## Meursault (Oct 1, 2009)

ngbacon said:


> (Mostly because of all the vaccines)


I'll let our guest commentator Morbo handle this one:





*IMMUNITY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY. GOODNIGHT.*


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## subliminal1284 (Oct 1, 2009)

lol at flu vaccines. Alot of people get sicker from the flu vaccines than they do the actual flu. Not to mention MOST of the people who catch H1N1 will recover just fine, most of the people who are dying from it have other medical problems on top of it that complicates their recovery, the media has just hyped it up into scaring people so they stay glued to the news.


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## ngbacon (Oct 1, 2009)

Anybody remember SARS?  and the West Nile scare?


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## JCampbell (Oct 1, 2009)

Anyone else think that maybe there's just too many people on this little planet and that some of us have to be weeded out? I mean we can't cure everybody of everything. I won't be getting the flu shot this year, and I never have. I WILL however keep following standard precautions for all Pts and droplet precautions for suspected flu Pts. In other words: No Change.


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## cruzJD (Oct 1, 2009)

I have never had flew shots of any kind and don’t want to start with this one.

In 1998 I had 3 positive PPD test and they found 2 spots on my lungs.  I was treated with INH for 11 months.  Every year when they push everyone for the flu shot I ask to see the research where they have tested it on people that have been treated with INH.


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## Meursault (Oct 1, 2009)

subliminal1284 said:


> lol at flu vaccines. Alot of people get sicker from the flu vaccines than they do the actual flu.


[citation needed]



subliminal1284 said:


> Not to mention MOST of the people who catch H1N1 will recover just fine, most of the people who are dying from it have other medical problems on top of it that complicates their recovery, the media has just hyped it up into scaring people so they stay glued to the news.


Largely true. Since data collection has dropped off a bit, it's difficult to come up with a mortality rate, but first impressions were that it's on par with seasonal flu. Still, it's fairly infective and H1N1 subtypes have done some very nasty things in the past.


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## LucidResq (Oct 5, 2009)

My new employer, a large sublet of HCA, is requiring all employees involved in patient care receive the SEASONAL vaccine or wear a mask while working. 

Vaccinating healthcare workers against influenza to protect the vulnerable--is it a good use of healthcare resources? A systematic review of the evidence and an economic evaluation.


> Eighteen studies are included. Vaccination was highly effective in HCWs [healthcare workers], with minimal adverse effects. Two trials assessed patient mortality after vaccinating HCWs, both of which showed a reduction.



Influenza vaccination of health care workers in long-term-care hospitals reduces the mortality of elderly patients.


> During the winter of 1994-1995, 1059 patients in 12 geriatric medical long-term-care sites, randomized for vaccination of HCWs, were studied. In hospitals where HCWs were offered vaccination, 653 (61%) of 1078 were vaccinated. Vaccination of HCWs was associated with reductions in total patient mortality from 17% to 10%




Effects of influenza vaccination of health-care workers on mortality of elderly people in long-term care: a randomised controlled trial.


> The uncorrected rate of mortality in patients was 102 (13.6%) of 749 in vaccine hospitals compared with 154 (22.4%) of 688 in no-vaccine hospitals. The two groups did not differ for proportions of patients positive for influenza infection (5.4% and 6.7%, respectively); at necropsy, PCR was positive in none of 17 patients from vaccine hospitals and six (20%) of 30 from no-vaccine hospitals


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## mycrofft (Oct 6, 2009)

*Oh my.*

Flu hysteria. Great Caesar's ghost.
One test case will kill the "shots or mask" deal.

If you think flu vaccine makes you sicker than the flu, then you never had a real full on case of the flu. Flu, even with immunizations to blunt the attack, *kills 3/5 the number of poeple killed in MVA's in the USA alone, annually*.
Influenza in a nutshell is a fast-onset, respiratory disease that knocks you down ("prostration"). No such thing as "stomach flu", that is likely to be mild HepA, gallbladder, food poisoning or  GI infections.

If you are immunized you are far less likely to spread it to others.

It is not that H1N1 (or the "Bird Flu") are that much more virulent, but being novel, we are not ready for them immunologically  through prior infections, so we are sitting ducks.

No pun intended.


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## Seaglass (Oct 6, 2009)

mycrofft said:


> Flu hysteria. Great Caesar's ghost.
> One test case will kill the "shots or mask" deal.
> 
> If you think flu vaccine makes you sicker than the flu, then you never had a real full on case of the flu. Flu, even with immunizations to blunt the attack, *kills 3/5 the number of poeple killed in MVA's in the USA alone, annually*.
> ...



This. 

I plan on getting it if my county health department can manage to get its act together in a timely fashion. But I'm not concerned. I've had no end of exposure with no PPE, so either that awful flu I had this summer was it or I'm otherwise immune. So I'd gladly wait and let my coworkers who haven't been exposed and those at high risk get it before me... but I doubt things will be organized enough for any sort of prioritizing like that. 

Already had my seasonal flu shot. I wouldn't on my own, but I think it's my responsibility to minimize my patients' exposure. Easy for me... I never have side effects.


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