Mandatory Flu Shots

[Sparda29]

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What do you guys think about mandatory flu shots for health care workers? The school told us that we cannot go on our hospital rotations unless we have the flu shots.

Now, I'm all for protecting yourself against the flu and whatnot, but if you're gonna make this mandatory, provide the shot for free.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I don't know. Plenty of things are mandatory at my school and we still have to pay for them. Our regular vaccinations, for one. We have to provide our own health insurance. And so on.

That said, I work for the VA and got my flu shot for free.

 

[Pianopooh]

What do you guys think about mandatory flu shots for health care workers? The school told us that we cannot go on our hospital rotations unless we have the flu shots.

Now, I'm all for protecting yourself against the flu and whatnot, but if you're gonna make this mandatory, provide the shot for free.

I've never had a flu shot until this year, and when I got my shot I ended up getting a bad reaction to it. I needed a shot so I could volunteer in a hospital. I have not fallen ill to a flu for the past 12 years of my life, and I didn't think I needed it. But I understand how I should get one just to prevent my patients from getting sick -- I'm working with the elderly so I would feel horrible if I got them sick. It's not so much about myself when I took this shot, it was for the people around me. But yea, I wished the school would pay for mine because I had to pay $25 for mine. If you work for any chain stores, you can get it for cheaper but I needed mine right away. Your school might be offering the shot for you at a cheaper price. You should inquire about that.

 

[genesis09]

If you haven't gotten the flu shot by now, you might be out of luck. Almost all the pharmacies are out of the shot. Many of the local MD's offices also report, they are out.

 

[Sparda29]

All these years I never took a flu shot, I took it yesterday, and this morning I feel "fluish".

 

[KARM12]

All these years I never took a flu shot, I took it yesterday, and this morning I feel "fluish".

Seriously? You're an idiot.

 

[Quiksilver]

I've never had a flu shot until this year, and when I got my shot I ended up getting a bad reaction to it. I needed a shot so I could volunteer in a hospital. I have not fallen ill to a flu for the past 12 years of my life, and I didn't think I needed it. But I understand how I should get one just to prevent my patients from getting sick -- I'm working with the elderly so I would feel horrible if I got them sick. It's not so much about myself when I took this shot, it was for the people around me. But yea, I wished the school would pay for mine because I had to pay $25 for mine. If you work for any chain stores, you can get it for cheaper but I needed mine right away. Your school might be offering the shot for you at a cheaper price. You should inquire about that.

All these years I never took a flu shot, I took it yesterday, and this morning I feel "fluish".

obviously you guys have not had ID yet but,

unless you got a live attenuated vaccine (the nasal flu vaccine), you did not get sick from the flu because you got a flu shot. It would also take a couple days for the infection to manifest itself anyways. you got coincidentally got sick with a common cold most likely.

 

[Praziquantel86]

What do you guys think about mandatory flu shots for health care workers? The school told us that we cannot go on our hospital rotations unless we have the flu shots.

Now, I'm all for protecting yourself against the flu and whatnot, but if you're gonna make this mandatory, provide the shot for free.

New York State just cut tens of millions of dollars from secondary and higher education. Do you think they really have enough money to supply all the healthcare workers in the state with a vaccination at $45 per pop?

It's something you should be doing anyways, the mandatory is just a kick in the rear to get you going.

 

[meister]

The entire population of the United States should be immunized for everything except for extremely rare diseases like rabies.

No exceptions whatsoever except medical. This should be a constitutional amendment to shut up all the ******ed federalists and libertarians.

Anyone who is against this is a *****. Thanks for your time.

 

[Sparda29]

New York State just cut tens of millions of dollars from secondary and higher education. Do you think they really have enough money to supply all the healthcare workers in the state with a vaccination at $45 per pop?

It's something you should be doing anyways, the mandatory is just a kick in the rear to get you going.

No, the state shouldn't pay for it, the employer should pay for it.

 

[Praziquantel86]

No, the state shouldn't pay for it, the employer should pay for it.

What employer? You're a student, not a hospital employee.

As a side note, many hospitals actually do provide the flu shot at no cost to their employees who come in direct patient contact.

 

[Sparda29]

Who's the employer? You're a student, not a hospital employee.

Perhaps the school could pay for it, but I'm sure they'd just transfer that cost into the tuition and fees.

 

[meister]

No, the state shouldn't pay for it, the employer should pay for it.

The state investigates the circulating influenza strains, provides most of the research money via NIH/NSF, and should absolutely provide the vaccination. I can't think of a better use of taxpayer money that providing vaccinations to the population.

Seriously if you don't think the government should pay for vaccinations then you probably don't think the government should pave roads either.

 

[confettiflyer]

I have two docs at work that refuse the H1N1 vaccine

yeah we got our regular flu vaccines free through the school, got the live-attenuated flumist and i'm fine. never got the flu shot ever before, but this is my first time w/ "direct" pt contact (if you count standing at the nurses station going over orders while someone gets wheeled by as direct contact).

 

[meister]

I have two docs at work that refuse the H1N1 vaccine

I bet these geniuses don't wash their hands either.

 

[confettiflyer]

I bet these geniuses don't wash their hands either.

it's weird...you'd think they were suzanne somers followers or something, but no...they're totally normal, intelligent, wash their hands regularly. in other words, you wouldn't be able to tell...it just came out one day when we were talking about H1N1/flu vaccines, they said they, "didn't want to be guinea pigs" for the H1N1 vaccine.

they probably have flashbacks of GB from the 70's swine flu vaccine.

 

[confettiflyer]

funny this is story #1 on cnn right now....

California nurses are ready to strike unless they get the H1N1 vaccine...

New York healthcare workers are suing to stop "mandatory vaccination" rules.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Seriously? You're an idiot.

Seriously? Since when do you know everything?
He's a P2. Give him some slack...

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

Seriously? You're an idiot.

I'm surprised you don't recall the possible adverse effects of a flu shot. Some people get soreness, redness, swelling at the injection site, low grade fever, and aches. They begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. I'm pretty sure this is what Sparda is experiencing. Either that or he caught the cold at the same time.

 

[KARM12]

I'm surprised you don't recall the possible adverse effects of a flu shot. Some people get soreness, redness, swelling at the injection site, low grade fever, and aches. They begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. I'm pretty sure this is what Sparda is experiencing. Either that or he caught the cold at the same time.

Please I know all the side effects of the flu shot, and the flu is not one of them. As a future healthcare worker, to imply that, makes you an idiot.

 

[Sparda29]

Please I know all the side effects of the flu shot, and the flu is not one of them. As a future healthcare worker, to imply that, makes you an idiot.

I said I felt fluish, not that I had the flu.

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

Please I know all the side effects of the flu shot, and the flu is not one of them. As a future healthcare worker, to imply that, makes you an idiot.

I never said he caught the flu from the vaccine. I'm saying he probably has the side effects which cause him to say he's "fluish". Do you always call people idiots or is it just the time of the month?

 

[drugdoc]

Our school is requiring both the seasonal and H1N1 and they are paying for it with a stipend.

 

[KARM12]

I never said he caught the flu from the vaccine. I'm saying he probably has the side effects which cause him to say he's "fluish". Do you always call people idiots or is it just the time of the month?

Do you guys hold hands and skip together too? Sparda is tough enough to stand up for himself.

 

[eeyore spice]

The state investigates the circulating influenza strains, provides most of the research money via NIH/NSF, and should absolutely provide the vaccination. I can't think of a better use of taxpayer money that providing vaccinations to the population.

Seriously if you don't think the government should pay for vaccinations then you probably don't think the government should pave roads either.

I like you. 🙂

 

[Quiksilver]

Do you guys hold hands and skip together too? Sparda is tough enough to stand up for himself.

I don't think your comments were out of line. It speaks volumes when you make sure you know what your talking about before you post .

Way too many bleeding hearts around here.

 

[njac]

I've gotten both for free at work.

Got the regular flu vaccine last week, intranasal H1N1 today. Mandatory.

 

[Praziquantel86]

I've gotten both for free at work.

Got the regular flu vaccine last week, intranasal H1N1 today. Mandatory.

There's actually enough H1N1 vaccine around for them to be moving onto pharmacy folks? I didn't know it was that widely available yet.

 

[njac]

There's actually enough H1N1 vaccine around for them to be moving onto pharmacy folks? I didn't know it was that widely available yet.

I'm considered "front line" because I round in the ED/ICU and respond to all traumas/codes.

so now the grody patients can't infect me!

 

[KARM12]

I don't think your comments were out of line. It speaks volumes when you make sure you know what your talking about before you post .

Way too many bleeding hearts around here.

Exactly...I hate misinformation! Especially when I spend my time trying to educate the masses about the importance of getting vaccinated...

We have mandatory seasonal and H1N1...we haven't gotten the H1N1 yet because they don't feel comfortable giving live vaccine to HCP due to the very low risk of viral shedding. We are waiting for the inactivated vaccine.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Exactly...I hate misinformation! Especially when I spend my time trying to educate the masses about the importance of getting vaccinated...

If you're such a great educator, then why didn't you explain yourself? Instead, you were sarcastic and called him an idiot. A good teacher (or health care provider for that matter) would never call people idiots...

You used to be sweet. I don't know what happened???

 

[lorain]

any problems with the swine flu shot? i keep hearing that GBS thing, what are the chances of it occuring?

 

[Pharmavixen]

The state investigates the circulating influenza strains, provides most of the research money via NIH/NSF, and should absolutely provide the vaccination. I can't think of a better use of taxpayer money that providing vaccinations to the population.

Seriously if you don't think the government should pay for vaccinations then you probably don't think the government should pave roads either.

👍

The trouble with mandatory vaccines, though, is exactly what's happening in NY: certain individuals will object (for various reasons; there are anti-vaccine people on the far left and the far right - similar folks really; they just believe in different conspiracies). The people who object will sue, and then there's all these resources being wasted on these lawsuits.

So I think the most realistic way to do it is to strongly encourage people to do it, and have the shots widely available everywhere. Where I live, there will be publicly-funded flu shot clinics in malls. You show up, present your health card, sign the forms, and you're back shopping in 15 min.

 

[Pharmavixen]

any problems with the swine flu shot? i keep hearing that GBS thing, what are the chances of it occuring?

On Health Canada's "Vaccine Myths" page it says,

For regular seasonal influenza, about 5 to 10 percent of the population will get sick and on average about 4000 people die every year. The risks of serious side effects from the flu are far greater than the risk of experiencing an adverse event after receiving the flu shot. The risk of suffering Guillan-Barré as a complication from the flu is greater than the risk of getting it as a reaction to the flu shot.

I don't know if that means absolute or relative risk, however.

 

[ttopping]

who knows if it was/will be thrown into our tuition, but the p3's and p4's can get the swine flu vaccine at UB starting this coming tuesday for free. I think we have the option of either getting the live attenuated nasal or inactivated injection.