New York State Adpots Mandatory Flu Vaccination Program for Health Workers

[OCNaturalDoc]

Opposition from nurses association falls on deaf ears
August 3, 2009

A New York State health authority has adopted a regulation that mandates every health care worker in the state to be vaccinated against influenza.
The news was announced last week by the New York State Hospital Planning and Review Council, despite overwhelming opposition from the nation’s oldest and largest state professional association for registered nurses.

The council adopted the proposal as an emergency rule that could go into effect before this winter’s flu season, according to a report by EndoNurse Magazine.
The policy will effect all healthcare workers, including volunteers, that have any contact with patients whether it be in hospitals, treatment centers, home care programs or hospices.
The ruling discounts any exemption from immunization for religious or cultural preferences.
The New York State Nurses Association described the council’s action as a “scorched earth” approach during testimony.

“While we encourage nurses to be immunized for the flu, we do not agree that nurses should be required to get immunizations as a condition of employment,” said Eileen Avery, RN, associate director of the association’s Education, Practice & Research Program.

“The seasonal flu vaccine is not 100 percent effective and sometimes is highly ineffective, as it was in 2005 and 2007,” Avery said. “There is no guarantee that in any given year, the public will benefit from mandatory immunization of healthcare providers.”

Avery also described the move as “effectively blocking” any individuals who are opposed to vaccines from earning their livelihood.

Calls for increased vaccination have been spurred by the ongoing H1N1 outbreak, which has also seen new regulations put in place to provide pharmaceutical companies with blanket immunity from lawsuits.
“Vaccine makers and federal officials will be immune from lawsuits that result from any new swine flu vaccine, under a document signed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius,” reported the Associated Press last month.

Although no formal announcement has yet been made, it has been suggested by health authorities that the upcoming mass public vaccination program against H1N1 will be mandatory.

As reported by CNS News last month, a health-care reform bill approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee called The Affordable Health Choices Act, will fund the creation of state “intervention” teams that will carry out home visits in order to check that both children and adults have been vaccinated and also provide “provision of immunizations”.

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This is bad news.

If the Nurses Association opposes this, you know there's something wrong! And the fact that an announcement was made that "vaccine makers and federal officials will be immune from lawsuits that result from any new swine flu vaccine" makes my eyebrow raise.....how do you say "Red Flag"?

Don't think that because you're not a health care worker or you don't live in NY that this wouldn't impact your life at some point. History has shown that when one state adopts a measure, others follow. Yours could be next.

This is, a the very least, a violation of civil liberties and health freedoms. I suggest writing Dr Margaret Hamburg at the FDA and your state representatives...or simply call their offices. You can google their phone numbers.

[OCNaturalDoc]

toby,
you were talking about seasonal flu at the beginning of this discussion. but if you want to switch gears again, no worries. i can keep up.

you seem to want some personal attention. ok. you said something about 'not letting me off the hook'....i'm not on a hook. and why do make this about me? or you, for that matter? it's not about either. it's about the flu, ny and the nurses association. please stick to the facts. dramatics don't lend to credibility. it's a news report, fundamentally substantiated by government and other sources.

the VAERS reports are not "phobias", they are reports made by victims from vaccines (in the provided link) which were reported to VAERS, an agency managed by the FDA. i just present the facts from both sides...it's not my personal opinion. and other than this response, i don't post just for your edification -- i post to the general readership of tbd. you said i'm lecturing you? no, i'm simply presenting information/facts/science. again, it's not all about toby.

side bar: anger and bitterness can lead to liver and gall bladder dysfunction.
http://teebeedee.ning.com/profiles/blogs/letting-go

last point: the flu is not "simple", as evidenced by the many mutated strains, the number of super-vaccines created to manage these 'super-viruses', and the increase of manmade viruses to deal with in recent years. in the office, we spend a lot of time educating about the importance of a strong immune function.

this story, however, is just one more that has made many people wonder about the government, the military and big pharma being in bed together for power and profit.

[OCNaturalDoc]

i've presented plenty of information here to inspire people to google their own should they need more (even you, toby). and i even used government sources you used to prove my viewpoint AND that of the nurses association.

you make many declarations that you are a proud democrat. i thought democrats were all about freedom. i'm surprised you fight issues of choice so fiercely, but you're entitled to your opinion. in any event, here's a little history of 'freedom of speech':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech

[OCNaturalDoc]

ok, since you're a big fan of the CDC, I'll include this information from their site:
Use of the Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine
It should be noted that vaccination with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is always an option for healthy* persons aged 2-49 years who are not pregnant.

Who should not get a flu shot?
Talk with a doctor before getting a flu shot if you:
• Have ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous flu shot or
• Have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).
• If you are sick with a fever when you go to get your flu shot, you should talk to your doctor or nurse about getting your shot at a later date. However, you can get a flu shot at the same time you have a respiratory illness without fever or if you have another mild illness.

How effective is the flu shot?
With the flu shot, when the "match" between vaccine and circulating strains is close, the vaccine prevents influenza in about 70%-90% of healthy persons younger than age 65 years. Among elderly persons living outside chronic-care facilities (such as nursing homes) and those persons with long-term (chronic) medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), the flu shot is 30%-70% effective in preventing hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza. Among elderly nursing home residents, the flu shot is most effective in preventing severe illness, secondary complications, and deaths related to the flu. In this population, the shot can be 50%-60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu.

What are the risks from getting a flu shot?
The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. The risk of a flu shot causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it.

What are the side effects that could occur?
Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
Fever (low grade)
Aches
If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually last one to two days.

Can severe problems occur?
Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare. Signs of serious allergic reaction can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heartbeat, or dizziness. If they do occur, it is within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot. These reactions are more likely to occur among persons with a severe allergy to eggs, because the viruses used in the influenza vaccine are grown in hens' eggs. People who have had a severe reaction to eggs or to a flu shot in the past should not get a flu shot before seeing a physician.

Guillain-Barré syndrome: Normally, about one person per 100,000 people per year will develop Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with getting GBS. Several studies have been done to evaluate if other flu vaccines since 1976 were associated with GBS. Only one of the studies showed an association. That study suggested that one person out of 1 million vaccinated persons may be at risk of GBS associated with the vaccine.

More facts about potential side effects of the influenza vaccine can be found in Prevention & Control of Influenza - Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2007 Jul 13;56(RR06):1-54. Also available as PDF (720K).

What should I do if I have had a serious reaction to influenza vaccine?
Call a doctor, or get to a doctor right away.
Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when you got the flu shot.
Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) form, or call VAERS at 1-800-822-7967.

More information about these studies is available at:
Carolyn Bridges et al. (2000). Effectiveness and cost-benefit of influenza vaccination of healthy working adults: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 284(13):1655–1663.
Kristin Nichol et al. (1995). The effectiveness of vaccination against influenza in healthy working adults. New England Journal of Medicine. 333(14): 889-893.

* "Healthy" indicates persons who do not have an underlying medical condition that prediposes them to influenza.


VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System)
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national vaccine safety surveillance program co-sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The purpose of VAERS is to detect possible signals of adverse events associated with vaccines. VAERS collects and analyzes information from reports of adverse events (possible side effects) that occur after the administration of US licensed vaccines.
Reports are welcome from all concerned individuals: patients, parents, health care providers, pharmacists and vaccine manufacturers.

VAERS Death and Flu Vaccines:
http://www.whale.to/m/vaers8.html
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/
and since we're talking vaccines, i'd be remiss not to mention Gardasil:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/gardasil.htm

interesting choice of references, as the link you provided to rxdrugnews.com is an educational blog. they gather their information from various sources and share the this information in their blog. we actually use some of the same news sources. they are located in latvia. i am located in the US.

since you brought up the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, it's important we throw out all the above flu shot information, as H1N1 is a completely different animal. the above referenced flu vaccine uses 'killed' virus. the H1N1 uses 'live' virus. http://www.naturalnews.com/026613_swine_flu_vaccines_pandemic.html and http://www.infowars.com/swine-flu-vaccines-contain-live-h1n1-virus/
and
According to a new article on INFOWARS, the main ingredient in the GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis vaccines contain a LIVE VIRUS, an attenuated virus, meaning it’s a weakened form of the swine flu virus.

Attenuated vaccines can be deadly and cause virus shedding, when a person is injected with an attenuated live virus the organism moves through the human body possibly infecting the host and then exiting through the feces, mucous membranes and saliva glands of the inoculated person. This is called ‘virus shedding’ and can last for weeks. [source: INFOWARS]

There are three basic types of vaccine:

1) Sub-unit Vaccines
The newest type; completely safe, except for rare adverse reactions. Unfortunately, they also tend to be the least effective.
Problems:
Relatively) poor antigenicity (especially short peptides)
Vaccine delivery (carriers/adjuvants needed)
a) Synthetic Vaccines
Not very effective. Great potential. None currently in use.
b) Recombinant Vaccines
Better than above - some success has already been achieved:
HBV - now produced in yeast.
c) Virus Vectors
The idea is to utilize a well-understood, attenuated virus to present antigens to immune system, e.g:
Vaccinia Virus
Attenuated polioviruses
Retroviruses (gene therapy)
Hard to produce, safe???, none successful yet - lots of trials underway.

2) Inactivated Vaccines
Method of production - exposure to denaturing agent - results in loss of infectivity without loss of antigenicity.
Advantages:
More effective than above - better immunogens. Stable.
Little or no risk (if properly inactivated)
Disadvantages:
Not possible for all viruses; denaturation may lead to loss of antigenicity, e.g. measles.
Not as effective at preventing infection as live viruses (mucosal immunity - IgA).
May not protect for a long period ?

3) Live Virus Vaccines
The use of virus with reduced pathogenicity to provide immune response without disease. May be naturally occurring virus (e.g. Jenner, cowpox, 1776 (Variolation)) or artificially attenuated (oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV)).
Advantages:
Good immunogens
Induce long-lived, appropriate immunity
Disadvantages:
Unstable: biochemically (live virus) and genetically (reversion to virulence)
Not possible to produce in all cases - trial and error black box !
Contamination possible (SV40)
Inappropriate vaccination e.g. immunocompromised hosts / rubella in pregnancy may lead to disease

"What else would a vaccine contain?" does that answer your question? Especially as there's 'growing' evidence that the novel virus A-H1N1 was created in a lab (i.e. it's a hybrid) and the company Baxter is already in trouble for having shipped an influenza vaccine containing LIVE BIRD FLU just last year.

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[OCNaturalDoc]

ps...those of you who want to have the flu shot, it's your choice. and that's what this about:
• education. this is a link to a news document, with commentary regarding legal implications.
• freedom. maintaining our constitutional rights and freedoms.
• choice. we live in a free country, meaning we have the right to exercise choice. it is legal to do so. however, with bills such as this passing, it could start a potential national ball rolling.

I'm hoping the nurses association has already filed an injunction. they are a powerful force, and will hopefully have this decision rescinded in short order.

and then there are those who don't/can't have vaccines without suffering detrimental side effects. in other words, some people die from vaccines. why should we risk the lives when there's only a possibility of getting the flu AND it's remote that a vaccine will fix it?

[OCNaturalDoc]

if your neurotoxic vaccines work so well, i wouldn't think you'd worry one bit about anyone who hasn't had them infecting those who have had had them. i've never had a flu shot and have never had the flu.
http://www.doctoryourself.com/flushot.html
http://autismwithrhonda.com/2009/07/671/
http://www.healthy-lives.ca/news/why-the-flu-vaccine-doesnt-work
and according to Aetna InteliHealth, "most doctors don't get a flu shot."


not really...they know what's in it. they don't give them to their kids, either. remember, one mcg of mercury is a neurtoxin. the amount of thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines has, in some cases, been reduced to "trace amounts", according to the CDC. "trace amounts" means one mcg or less. so, what's the point? it's still a neurtoxin! and many areas still use vaccines with the full amount of thimerosal.

and toby, you can whine all day long, but you have yet to produce any science to back up your 'all about you' blah blah blah. and criticizing me for exercising my right to freedom of the written word, while presenting scientific fact is just ....well, whiney. so back off. frankly, your rants are tiresome, as you follow me from discussion to discussion. so either step up and bring it, or stop your nonsense.

back to the discussion:
the only thing that will prevent illness is a strong immune function. we're in the throws of labs creating more viruses so that government and pharmaceutical companies will enjoy fatter pockets. oooops...oh, well....that cat was out of the bag a long time ago....AIDS. lab created. it makes me sick to think people would play 'mad scientist' at the expense of the public. then those bird flus...and now the swine flu. oh, stop the madness already. we have enough problems in the world without creating more.

so, anyone else wanna weigh in on this one? cuz flu shots simply don't prevent the flu.

[SuzanneF]

Smacks/slaps head. We are awake, why are they acting like we are sleeping and don't know what's going on.