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Hospital Workers Branded for Skipping H1N1 Shot
Workers at a children’s hospital aren’t being forced to submit to an H1N1 vaccine, so why are they suing the hospital? Because the facility is forcing those who don’t take the shot to wear a mask to protect the sick children from possible contamination.
A rep for the nurse’s union at the Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego told 10 News it’s like a scarlet letter that they’re being forced to wear.
The nurses have been told they need to get the shot – or else suffer what amounts to a public branding. They must wear masks and a color-coded tag. The masks scare parents, the union rep says, by making them look like they’re contagious – whether they are or not.
It’s hardly the first hospital to face a revolt from healthcare workers over the shot. New York State went so far as to tell healthcare workers they’d lose their jobs if they didn’t take the shot – an edict lifted when state health officials realized it simply couldn’t be enforced with the limited supply of vaccine.
The folks in California aren’t being kicked out of a job over it, however. They’re being told they can’t breathe on sick kids unless they’re free of germs.
And is that such a bad thing?
They are, after all, in a healthcare facility, not out in public. These staffers have both chosen to work there and chosen not to take advantage of the vaccine. Meanwhile they’re working with what the CDC would term the most at risk group in the country for infection – children with compromised immune systems.
The nurse’s union’s biggest complaint – that they aren’t automatically contagious without the shot – does hold water. Unfortunately, the contagion period of H1N1 begins a day BEFORE people show symptoms. So a nurse who think he’s perfectly healthy can transmit the disease unwittingly. The CDC recommends people in healthcare settings caring for people at high risk (including kids) ask for temporary re-assignment if they think they might spread the swine flu.
It’s their right to say no to the shot. But isn’t it the children’s right to be cared for in a hospital by someone who won’t make them sicker?
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Hospital Workers Branded for Skipping H1N1 Shot - Hippymom - An Evolution of Female Community commented on Nov 30 09 at 4:32 pmJessie commented on Nov 30 09 at 11:05 amHealthcare workers are required to get all sorts of vaccinations. I don’t understand all the fear and crankiness over this one, and I certainly don’t want a non-vaccinated nurse coming anywhere near my kid.
newmama27 commented on Nov 30 09 at 11:42 amThey should most definitely wear masks if they did not receive the vaccine. Think of the sick children!
ruby commented on Nov 30 09 at 2:50 pmThose healthcare workers should be on leave and
not risk people’s health especialy children.
PlumbLucky commented on Dec 01 09 at 8:03 amThe right of an immune-compromised child to not be treated by someone who can make them sick trumps their offense. Actually, I’d go with all healthcare workers, period, with masks. That way you’re not spreading colds either, or picking up something yourself from my sick munchkin!
katekilla commented on Dec 01 09 at 11:43 amI agree — it’s not really the same as being “branded” or wearing a scarlet letter. They’re being asked to protect their patients in the event that they choose to ignore public health advice to get a vaccine. I agree with the comments above — they can choose another line of work if they don’t feel comfortable following public health procedures.
Newby commented on Dec 01 09 at 11:53 amWhy is it their right not to be vaccinated? I bet they are required to have polio vaccine, smallpox, measles, etc. Why is flu different?
Marj commented on Dec 03 09 at 9:53 pmBranding? Yikes. To be honest, I don’t want a health care worker who does not understand how medicine and vaccines work. They are an idiot and don’t belong in health care. But if they insist on working there, yes they should wear masks. Or go be witch doctors someplace else.
miss ann commented on Feb 17 10 at 1:00 amSwine Flu is a scam. There never was an epidemic. People are foolish to line up like sheeps led to a slaughter getting vaccines like this.
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