No Vaccine, No Work. Should Flu Vaccine be mandated?

[Rick Russotti]

The New York Nurses Association has opposed a new regulation that would require every healthcare worker (in NY) to be immunized for flu. The story notes "paid and unpaid" and "anyone who interacts with patients in hospitals" but not EMS by name.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one side, the flu vaccine is a valuable weapon to contain/slow the spread of seasonal flu...vaccine for H1N1 remains to be seen. On the other side, where do we give up consent to what is injected into us simply becasue we work in healthcare?

Much more to think about on this one...
Rick
Read the Medical News Today story here

[Rick Russotti]

Text of the Nurses Association press release http://www.nysna.org/news/press/072309.htm
Text of full testomony by Eileen Avery, MS, RN http://www.nysna.org/advocacy/testimonies/mandated_shots.htm

[Rick Russotti]

Lets start this way...if we don't/can't/are not allowed to make sure healthcare workers are protected, how do we expect to mandate protection of any kind...for anyone?