Get the Vaccine or Get Fired?, page 1

My mother is a nurse in West Virginia and I was speaking to her the other day and the flu topic came up. She told me that in Charleston, WVa hospitals were requiring all its employees get the vaccine or get fired. I was surprised to an extent (and sort of unsure if it wasn't just a rumor) but she told me that it was in the newspapers as well.

I did some research and found out that she was absolutely correct!

CAMC among few requiring flu vaccines

August 30, 2009 @ 10:00 PM
The Associated Press

CHARLESTON -- As flu season approaches, West Virginia's largest hospital has given its employees a choice:
Get a flu vaccine or find another job.

The Herald Dispatch

WVa hospital early adopter of mandatory flu shots

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - One of West Virginia's largest hospitals has taken the unusual step of requiring seasonal flu vaccines for all its employees.

Charleston Area Medical Center says it has a vaccination rate of 70 percent for its roughly 6,000 staffers. But officials want to make that 100 percent, and if employees don't comply, they could be fired.

Charleston Daily Mail

*My bolds.

I also mentioned to my mother that I had read about a link between the vaccine and a deadly nerve disease according to an article from the Daily Mail.

She wasn't aware of that article.

I understand that workers at hospitals would potentially be at the greatest risk of exposure but what about those that have reservations about the vaccine?

Should they have the right to reject the vaccine for fear of the potential harm it could cause them?

What if they just don't trust the source?

What if the creators aren't even going to take it?



Large numbers of British doctors and nurses are refusing to take the vaccine.

Do they have the right to do so?

In this economy no one really can afford to lose their job and my mother has been working in hospitals for around two decades.

They are really painting people into a VERY dangerous corner here and if this goes unchallenged and unquestioned I fear that other employers could begin to adopt similar measures and possibly use "public commuting" for an example as an excuse to get their employees vaccinated against their will.

This vaccine is looking more and more "mandatory" and less "optional".

Any thoughts?

- Lee

reply to post by lee anoma

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Some group pushing the vaccine probably gave the hospital "grant money" to force full compliance.

It doesn't make sense. If the doctors take the vaccines their brains could go goofy, so they could have difficulty being doctors. How can you force them to take the vaccine?

What about the people that mop the floors and do the laundry? Is someone going to threaten their minimum wage job?

reply to post by lee anoma

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Great topic for discussion, lee anoma.

First of all, I'm so sorry for your mother and the tough decision she is facing (if she is one of the ones required to take it?). Wasn't sure if she was at one of the hospitals requiring it.

Anyways, you're right when you say it is looking less and less voluntary. No one should be forced to take the shot even though, like you, I can understand the logic behind the hospitals and that the staff would be at ground zero.

It sounds like a really good way to condition and test us to see how much we take. Job losses, not being allowed in schools, quarantine, bank accounts frozen, etc.

reply to post by lee anoma

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I work for a not for profit hospital (read government funded county hospital), and I am very fearful this will become the status quo for workers in the health field. As it stands now, the charge nurse of the unit gives the employees flu shots. Not sure if this will remain the case for the swine flu vaccines, though.

I have a personal friend who's brother came down with Guillian Barre' a few months ago, and after spending 3 months in ICU - some of it in my unit, he is paralyzed from the neck down.

He may never recover, and his health insurance ran out a few weeks ago. His wife cannot work because he has to have care 24 hours a day. They are going to lose everything they have. He will most likely end up in a nursing home, and she will end up destitute and having to try to recover and start over from scratch with the kids.

On the other hand, working in the hospital as I do, I am also quite susceptible to exposure from infected people, so I pray if I come down with it that I am not one of the unfortunate. Exposure to any virus can cause Guillian Barre', so not just the vaccine, but any flu or stomach virus as my friend had, carries this risk.

A lot of fear has been waged on this front. It's very disconcerting to be in the postition in which I find myself, and having seen what I have.

Originally posted by son of total newbie
reply to post by lee anoma

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How can you force them to take the vaccine?

By extortion it seems.

What about the people that mop the floors and do the laundry? Is someone going to threaten their minimum wage job?

From what I read, yes.

The hospital is looking to have ALL its employees vaccinated...if not then terminated if they don't submit to the vaccination process that could consequently end up harming them in another fashion. Further tests are needed but looks like they don't have the time to do them.

What a quandary.

I don't want my mother to be in such a position.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (the nerve disease linked to the vaccine) sounds particularly nasty.

- Lee

Originally posted by AshleyD
reply to post by lee anoma

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Great topic for discussion, lee anoma.

First of all, I'm so sorry for your mother and the tough decision she is facing (if she is one of the ones required to take it?). Wasn't sure if she was at one of the hospitals requiring it.

So far she isn't, but there is talk amongst the staff that they will be shortly.

My younger brother lives and works construction in Charleston I'm going to ask him if he's heard anything more about this. I think if the Charleston hospital gets by with this then it may actually end up spreading nationally.

I can see how it could.

I won't be taking it, but then again I've never taken a flu shot before (not for any specific reason but now I seem to have one) and my wife says she's not going to be taking it either. She commutes to D.C. during the week and actually works for the CDC so the prospect of having that sort of exposure being viewed as a threat has crossed both our minds.

The Marc train can be packed sometimes and of course there is the subsequent subway rides. I would understand if things got worse that some employers would be highly recommending staff vaccinations.

...and thank you for the response and sentiments.

- Lee

reply to post by lee anoma

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Please do keep us posted. I am currently out of work due to major surgery, but when I return I will check up on whats going on and get back as well.

Best to you and yours.

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