Flu Vaccines for Healthcare Providers: Let Your Voice Be Heard

As someone who has worked in healthcare for several years, and was terminate recently because I would not get the flu shot, I will say that the mandatory vaccines rob healthcare providers of our rights, and benefits only the Big Pharm companies. Not only that it puts the patients at severe risks and has severe side effects. I would only hope and pray that healthcare providers nationwide will take cues from NY and Washington sates and stand up for their rights

Debra -Thanks for your post; glad we're hearing all sides.  Do try the HHS site to add your comments

Ms. Smith,

I believe that you believe with all of your heart that the influenza vaccine is safe.  However,I think you believe that because only an average of 10% of the adverse effects are reported to VAERS.  There is a reason for that-- many doctors refuse to see disorders that occur after vaccination as a side effect of the vaccine.  And lay people are not educated to the fact that serious side effects occur and if their doctors refuse-they can report them to VAERS themselves.  Most nurses I talk to don't even know what VAERS is.  That is where our lack of education lies.  I appreciate your dialogue, but if you wanted to challenge, I can site references and peer-reviewed studies for my side too.  Much of my information I get from the CDC-itself, like the fact the the influenza vaccine is only around 59% effective in stimulating antibody production, therefore it isn't very effective.  If near half of the people you are vaccinating never develop immunity, why would you credit the vaccine for anything?  If you have 90% compliance within a facility, you still have only around 50% immunity.  Yet we are willing to risk the health of our workers for this?

It amazes me that the most astute doctors when it comes to this issue is neurologists.  That is no coincidence.  They see the worst of the damage.  In a conversation with one of our neurologists, he admitted that influenza vaccines seriously damage people.  I asked him if he talked to administration about the issue.  He said that administration is tired of hearing from him and never listens.  This isn't merely opinion.  He SEES the effects.  No one listens.  NO ONE should ever have to risk a disorder like GBS or encephalitis or narcolepsy to keep their job!

I am more than willing to dialogue and will happily site references and studies if you wish.  But I don't think that is what you are looking for here.  Will your mandates ensure compliance?  Absolutely.  Why?  Because most people are unaware that they can refuse.  I have seen it in my own facility-employees who are angry and disgruntled for having to endure such nonsense, yet people don't want to go looking for a new job in this economy so they roll up their sleeves and comply.  Not only that, they probably assume that there is no way out unless they find a job in another field which is a waste of an expensive education and their very livelihood.  So, congratulations.  You have found an effective way to get what you want.  I wonder if it bothers you to think how many people this will hurt?  I wonder if any up-high policy makers sit awake at night wondering who they have damaged?

Lori, your content "opinion" is obviously well researched. It's unfortunate that the sharing of information and "evidence" would be viewed as "challenge" verses dialogue. I continually do my homework and based on it, am confident in my right to determine the medical procedures my body endures. Until I see reason to support acceptance, I will NOT be rolling up my sleeves for the flu jab or any others for that matter.

Lori- thanks for adding your thoughts. That's why this area is good -it helps get opinions heard.  - Did you post comments to the HHS website?

I could add citations (evidence based and well documented) to answer all your points  but I think it's more useful for discussions like this to be heard, not challenged.

We may not agree on this topic but glad we can talk about it.

Barbara

First of all, as for the comment that there are already mandates in place, that is correct but there is a big difference.  Most of the mandates in place require employees to be tested upon employment for immunity and then if you stay at your place of employment you are typically not required to be tested again or re-immunized.  Influenza policies require every employee to be vaccinated yearly, exposing them REPEATEDLY to the mercury and aluminum contained in the vaccine.  Also, most states allow for religious exemptions for vaccines which is good.  However, if granted exemption for MMR, Hep B, etc, employees are less likely to face the discrimination that comes with wearing a pointless mask all winter.  I challenge you to find ONE STUDY that shows that the wearing of a mask by an asymptomatic unvaccinated healthcare worker reduces the risk of transmission.  %0d%0a%0d%0aSecond, the influenza vaccine is notoriously ineffective and dangerous.  Requiring workers to receive the shot every year is like playing roulette with their lives.  It is absurd to think that our government would require ANYONE to take a medical treatment by force or lose their jobs.  This is not the American way.  BUT it seems that the American way now has more to do with profit than protecting it's people.  It is comforting to see that countries like Finland are taking responsibility for the damage done through flu vaccines.  If you have an adverse effect in the USA, all you will get is a handful of people telling you that you are crazy and it wasn't caused by the vaccine.  I think that  a lot of health care workers are now waking up to the dangers of the vaccine.  That is why compliance rate is so low.  But what so you do when you can't sell it?  You mandate it.  It's the American way.  We wouldn't want Pharmaceutical companies to miss out on big profits.%0d%0a%0d%0aI am considering leaving the medical field as soon as I possibly can.  It seems that there is no safe place for us anymore.  It is sad that after 16years of hospital nursing, which I have loved, that I am being driven away from my career and education by this stupidity.