Let me start this post by saying I am a STRONG supporter of immunizations. I was a microbiology major in college, so there's no swaying this girl. My brother almost got punched just by even questioning the pediatrician's stance on immunizations.
I believe firmly in childhood immunizations and even certain immunizations as we get older, i.e Hepatitis, so I'm not going to discuss those. Although, I won't have any trouble about talking about the so-called "autism" link, if anyone wants to go there.
The immunization I am questioning is one that most people don't even think twice about, the flu shot. The seasonal flu is responsible for an estimated 25,000 deaths annually. That's more than HIV (in the United States). Granted, most of the deaths from seasonal flu are the elderly, the very young, or those who are already immunocompromised, but still, that's a lot of people. Every year doctors' offices, clinics, and hospitals are flooded with people suffering from symptoms related to the seasonal flu.
That's where I come in. I've worked in the medical field for almost 13 years. Either in the pharmacy or in a hospital. I've never had any trouble with the flu shot. Needles don't bother me, I'm not allergic to eggs, and I don't pass out if I see a drop of blood. Whenever the flu shot is available to me, I get it. Fortunately, there has only been one year since I began working that I haven't been able to get the flu shot. That was probably my worst winter, sickness wise. I constantly had either a runny nose, cough, respiratory infection, or just ached all over. I swore then I would not miss another one.
Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as I have been. I've never gotten sick from the shot, but I know lots of people that have. I also know people who haven't had the flu shot in 15 years and haven't suffered a day with the flu. For most of my life the flu shot has been optional.
Until now.
The hospital I work requires every employee to get the flu shot. Seriously, if an employee hasn't been vaccinated by December 1st, they lose their job. Not suspension, but lose the job. The only way out is an allergy to eggs. From what I understand, even religious reasons cannot keep you from facing employee health nurses and their happy syringe filled hands. For some reason, this really bothers me. I understand that I work in a field that is quite literally face to face with people. I get closer to most people than I want. I get coughed on, spit on (usually by accident), and I've even been urinated on, so I understand that the hospital wants to protect its patients and its employees as much as possible.
It just doesn't feel right.
I work with a guy who is terrified of needles or really any kind of sharp object. He went to get his teeth cleaned and had to get gas to get through the process. His mom had to leave work early to pick him up because the dentist wouldn't let him drive home. Last week he went to get the flu shot. He broke into a sweat and had to lay down on a stretcher because the nurses were worried that he was going to pass out. He's never been sick with the flu or called out a day because of it, yet he is forced to get the flu shot or he loses his well paying, union protected job.
I would be more understanding about the process if it was a once in a lifetime thing, like Hepatitis. It just seems forcing people to get the immunization year after year is going a bit too far.
What does everyone else think? Am I completely alone is this opinion?
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