Should the H1N1 flu vaccine be mandatory for all health care workers?

[Just Plain Ruff]

OK I will make a stand here if DR bbledsoe does not rate an immediate 500000 or AT LEAST An honorary membership then EMT City ADMIN ....you will never see a post from me ever again again.

Dustdevil are You in Favor ? of motion presented ie attention AKflightmedic ? Terror ? spleac, 4cmK6? SA_Medic? Ventmedic ? Firefly? RidRider 911? Dwayne? auzzieplil you pevevert roo humping freak? Richard B? Lp flight? rock _shoes? Doc harris? kiwi? scobbie doo, and all other reprobates .... and all I for got to mention .....

ALL IN FAVOUR say EH!!

CHEERS

WE so need a Leader in EMS for solidarity, being world wide.

<end crazy insane rant>

Ok, ok ok ok I broke down last wednesday and got the h1n1 vaccine. I have had not a single negative effect from the vaccine.

I also took the flu shot and had no reaction or adverse reaction to it.

I have said all the while that you should make your own mind up about the vaccine.

I have seen many patients in the ER over the past two weeks and they have all had the flu or H1N1 and it's not a pretty site. Coughing, spitting up, fever, body aches, pain, headaches and just the overall looking like shit.

If these vaccine keep me from looking and feeling like these poor saps look and feel like, then I'm gonna get the vaccine.

Will some people have reactions or get sicker? YEP sure they will. Will someone taking an over the counter drug or a new prescription medication have a reaction YEP sure they will. But the majority of people who get these vaccines or take these medications do not have any problems.

I'm not comfortable with anyone getting sick but the alternative is worse.

Michael

[reneew10]

I'm not opposed to getting the vaccine, I just don't think that it is fair that in order to keep your job that you have to get it. People have personal and even religious reasons for being opposed to vaccines in general, and in those cases other alternatives should be looked into.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I'm not opposed to getting the vaccine, I just don't think that it is fair that in order to keep your job that you have to get it. People have personal and even religious reasons for being opposed to vaccines in general, and in those cases other alternatives should be looked into.

Are you opposed to those who have the virus to be forced to not work while they have the illness? Are you opposed to companies forcing you to stay home while you are sick?

If you are infectious do you oppose requirements to stay home instead of letting you work?

[Richard B the EMT]

I would guess that tniuqs is unaware that bbledsoe is Dr Brian Bledsoe, co-author of several EMT and Paramedic textbooks (some of which I may have used in refresher over the years). Unlike Dust Devil, and others from this site, I have never had the pleasure of meeting him in person.

I also guess that Dr B might be somewhere in the 50 to 60 year old range, as I was given the Salk Anti-Polio Vaccine at grade school circa 1960-1961 (tried sneaking back in the line, as it was administered orally in a sugar cube, and I had, and have, a sweet tooth), and I am now 55 years old. To the best of my recall, it was the only time any vaccine, of any type, was given en-mass, in, or at, a New York City Public School. Qualify that as being per MY memory, if it was done again, I just don't recall it.

For the record, I don't recall ever having had the flu, even in years I didn't get the vaccine shot. I have never felt sick following getting the shot, even while finding out colleagues in the line with me did get sick very shortly after getting the shot.

I have had the "regular" flu shot, and, when I do that detail I already mentioned, working the MIRV, plan on getting the H1N1 shot.

So far, it remains my choice to either take or decline the shot, my job is not dependant on taking it, which seems to really be the issue under discussion here.

Edited October 26, 2009 by Richard B the EMT

[aussiephil]

EH

Happy now?

[Dustdevil]

I would guess that tniuqs is unaware that bbledsoe is Dr Brian Bledsoe, co-author of several EMT and Paramedic textbooks (some of which I may have used in refresher over the years).

Tniuqs spent three days at Dr. Bledsoe's home with me last Fall. Even though there was a lot of alcohol involved, I'm pretty sure he remembers who he is.

[Richard B the EMT]

Re posting #66, then I made a bad guess.

[JakeEMTP]

Eh! In response to stniuqs poll.

I cannot understand the objection to receiving the vaccine. I would think that as frontline healthcare providers we would be queuing up to be vaccinated. It is not whether you feel the need for it. If you don't get vaccinated, contact H1N1 and pass it on to your patients you are doing a disservice. Nobody thinks twice about getting a Rubella vaccine, tetanus shot etc. When it comes to something new however, there is always opposition.

For the most part, we operate in a very small enclosed environment. If your patient shows mild symptoms of H1N1, do you think your chances of exposure are increased? Think about it for a minute. How many times have you been in the ambulance and your patient coughs? to many to count I imagine.

I have received my vaccine w/o any complications. My reason was simple. I don't want to contract H1NI.

Edited October 27, 2009 by JakeEMTP

[aussiephil]

Well said Dr Bledsoe.

I hink we need to remember that routine vaccination of children have seen the demise pedominantly of diseases such as Polio, TB as well as many others. We dont see Tetnus much any more. Why, because of Immunisation.

We have, as a part of the Healthcare system, must take a leadership role in this & show that we support immunisation for 2 reasons. Firstly we need to ensure that we do not unwittingly transmit this illnes to our patients & secondly to not onknowingly pass it to our families.

Immunisation works. Our health department have now made it mandatory for all persons with patient contact to have not just the H1N1 vaccine, but the Fluvax every year. Failure to do so will result in relocation to altenate duties, or if none can be found you will get a referal for social security.

Bring it on & lets be sensible about it.

Phil

PS: how was that squint you moose shagger??????

[VentMedic]

I now find it rather disturbing that now the states and hospitals that wanted to mandate the vaccines are now back pedaling with both the Season Flu and the H1N1 vaccine. The hospital I am currently affiliated with issued a memo for "highly recommending" the Seasonal Flu vaccine with an ongoing discussion for mandating the H1N1. A couple of other hospitals in the area had already made the announcement for mandatory vaccine and provided strong arguments for this mandate.

Now, my hospital had trouble getting enough Seasonal Flu vaccine so the only direct care staff members that are getting the vaccine are the RNs, RTs and Doctors. They totally left out the CNAs who may have even more exposure time than some of the others.

The talk now is that the hospital is going to very selective out of their selected licensed staff group for the H1N1 vaccine.

For the H1N1 vaccine, only 22 million doses have been distributed of what was supposed to be at least 40 million at this time. Many of those doses are going to private physicians while some of the clinics and hospital systems are trying to prioritize the priority list. It makes me wonder if those who actually should be vaccinated will possibly be overlooked. New York State rescinded their statewide mandate for health care workers. The hospitals in my area have now shut up about their "mandatory vaccine for all employees" talk as people are asking questions as to "why is its importance not be stressed as much now that they don't have it?" Does it make the H1N1 less dangerous now that the hospitals can not issue their mandate? For the hospitals that had initially mandated it for all employees but now will only give it to a few, does this send a message to the importance of front line workers like CNAs vs the RNs and RRTs? What about the people that have insurance and can go to a private physician vs someone who now has to be prioritized for the vaccine off of an existing priority list at a county clinic?

I still believe H1N1 is very serious and I have seen first hand what can happen to the young and/or pregnant. However, I just find it rather interesting that since the government could not fulfill the vaccine orders and the hospitals or states could not carry out their "mandates" but now must prioritize the HCWs and citizens, the talk is now toned down.