Can you refuse the Flu shot in the military?

[73BARMYPgsp]

Simple question. Just wondering if there is a procedure for this.

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[grotto]

Negative. I suppose you could try, but the amount of administrative bs coming down on your forehead would quickly compel you towards compliance. Big brother is slow and pondering, but brings the house over even the most inane things... always. This is why I have the full series of Anthrax vaccines despite not really wanting them or seeing any reason to take them (they hurt more each time, strangely).

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Simple question. Just wondering if there is a procedure for this.

It is a component of your readiness and, like your current physical, failure to comply with keeping your immunizations up to date when the resources are available--which they can easily be shown to be--is basically a failure top maintain physical readiness. Ergo consequences. Unless someone reports you to your command, however, or you bring about attention by openly refusing immunization, you will probably escape detection for a long time.

If they wanted to be really nasty, they could do a line of duty investigation on you if you were ever to get the flu and miss work.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I couldn't think of a reason to get out of anthrax, but smallpox is pretty easy, lots of contraindications. Flu? That's a tough one, but I do manage to avoid the flumist each year since it gave me an instant URI a few years ago. Dead injections for me thank you.

 

[grotto]

Before a ship deploys it has to be medically screened. Mostly this is a paperwork drill, but some things are a pain. Yes, I have been the bad guy in this situation - physically taking E2's and even E7's to Dental (or the dreaded Dental Van) for a checkup and making my whole department muster on the mess deck at 0630 too conduct a mass flu vaccination. It is funny what a little excel spreadsheet shown to the Captain regarding departmental Medical compliance can motivate you to do...

 

[73BARMYPgsp]

Bummer. I was hoping there was some previous condition I could say I had. I get sick 1-2 days after the flu shot every time. I got it Monday and I am now sick as a dog. The last time was 2003 (couldn't dodge the bullet that year). Same thing happened. Each year in between-no flu shot and made it through the entire season without so much as a sniffle.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Bummer. I was hoping there was some previous condition I could say I had. I get sick 1-2 days after the flu shot every time. I got it Monday and I am now sick as a dog. The last time was 2003 (couldn't dodge the bullet that year). Same thing happened. Each year in between-no flu shot and made it through the entire season without so much as a sniffle.

Flumist or flu shot? The flu shot can't give you URI sx. Bad luck or maybe a weak-minded person getting sick from a placebo effect . Flumist gives me some nasal congestion for a day or too. I also try to get the injection.

 

[colbgw02]

Find a way to convince them that you work with immunocompromised patients. Say you work in the ICU a lot or something. The immunologists at my MTF won't give the Flumist to anyone that works regularly in the ICU since it's just attenuated.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Find a way to convince them that you work with immunocompromised patients. Say you work in the ICU a lot or something. The immunologists at my MTF won't give the Flumist to anyone that works regularly in the ICU since it's just attenuated.

I just told the E2 to give me the shot.

 

[IgD]

I got really sick immediately after taking the flu mist a while back so I try to stick to the shot too. I haven't seen the flu mist as a civilian yet. My medical center uses the shot.

 

[elderjack21]

I got really sick immediately after taking the flu mist a while back so I try to stick to the shot too. I haven't seen the flu mist as a civilian yet. My medical center uses the shot.

My civilian med center uses both, you still get a choice. However, the nurses gave me a hard time about choosing the shot over the mist...in the army I was always able to make some kind of excuse as to why I needed the shot instead of the mist.

 

[Jolie South]

The clinic associated with my school uses both.

 

[chameleonknight]

Tell them you had Guillian Barre last time you got the flu shot.

 

[RugbyJC]

Tell them you had Guillian Barre last time you got the flu shot.

I told them I went into anaphylaxis with the mist, but im a bad liar and wound up giving in.


I am still trying to think of something that will prevent them from pulling my already erupted wisdome teeth...ideas? I thought about saying that several of my immediate relatives died while under anesthesia, but then they will just do it while I am awake.

 

[colbgw02]

I just told the E2 to give me the shot.

At which point the E2 turns to his right where - 8 feet away - a trio of full colonel immunologists break away from screening patients long enough to tell me to jump in a lake.

 

[halcyonnights]

I couldn't avoid the flu or the first anthrax shot but somehow I slipped through the cracks during 4 years and avoided the remaining sequence. I'm interested in anymore data regarding adverse effects on joints http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax_vaccine#Controversy

 

[Gastrapathy]

I told them I went into anaphylaxis with the mist, but im a bad liar and wound up giving in.


I am still trying to think of something that will prevent them from pulling my already erupted wisdome teeth...ideas? I thought about saying that several of my immediate relatives died while under anesthesia, but then they will just do it while I am awake.

I've never understood the wisdom teeth thing. A buddy of mine just was forced to have his removed after 12 years on AD. No dentist has ever mentioned mine and I just don't bring it up.