Flu Vaccine Mandates

Contentious flu vaccine policies at hospitals are based on flawed research, study says

It’s an edict that comes out every autumn in many hospitals: If health care workers don’t get a flu shot, they will face consequences. Some make vaccinations a condition of employment. Others require unvaccinated staff to wear surgical masks near patients for weeks during flu season. But a new study is calling into question the scientific evidence underpinning these increasingly common hospital policies — and could fuel challenges to the contentious orders.

Flu Immunization Rates Level Off in Healthcare Workers

Persistent misconceptions about vaccine safety contribute to the problem.

Influenza Vaccine and Health Care Workers. More than one way to skin a literature

I do think our primary moral imperative is to not kill our patients with vaccine-preventable illnesses and that is the more important ethical imperative, not HCW autonomy. But that is me.

Mandatory flu shots are a risky proposition

Whether in healthcare or any other industry, it’s understandable that employers would want to limit the impact of the flu in their organizations. But to avoid the legal minefields associated with mandatory flu vaccines, employers may want to consider various options for encouraging workers to voluntarily get the flu vaccine.

The Question of Mandatory Flu Vaccination for Healthcare Workers

The American way is to do as we please. But when it comes to transmission of disease, obviously things aren’t quite so simple. So should healthcare workers be required to get annual flu vaccines?

Why Are Nurses and Healthcare Workers Across the U.S. Refusing Mandatory Flu Vaccines?

Does it protect staff? Not if one were to read the true placebo flu vaccine efficacy study recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Those who were vaccinated for the flu had 5.5 times more respiratory illness than those who were not vaccinated. Other studies show that repeated annual flu vaccines decrease their effectiveness.

A Duty of Health Care Workers

Health care workers should know better than anyone that it is important to get vaccinated against the flu virus to protect their own health and prevent the possibility of infecting patients.

Are Health Care Workers Who Decline Flu Shots Irresponsible?

Monto calls the decision to pass up the vaccine—whether you are a health worker or not—"stupid behavior," noting that the demonstrated benefits to yourself and those around you far outweigh any slight risks of adverse reactions.

Flu Shots for Hospital Workers Save Lives

Why are hospitals lagging so far behind? Reasons cited by survey respondents include a resistance by administrators to mandate vaccinations or masks, and concerns about staff rights or union opposition.

Mandatory Flu Shots: Doctor Against Shots For Health-Care Workers, Wants Effective Vaccine

"I'm not anti-vaccine," he insisted. "I think there's a line you cross when you make something mandatory that you better damn well make sure what you're doing is really going to have an impact because you're taking away people's rights to choose one way or the other. And you're also setting yourself up for a battle."

Mandatory Shots: Should Hospitals Force Health Care Workers to Get the Flu Vaccine?

A growing number of U.S. hospitals now compel health care workers to get vaccinated against the flu and other infectious diseases to protect patients from communicable diseases.

Vaccinating Health Care Workers Against Influenza: The Ethical and Legal Rationale for a Mandate

When public health is jeopardized, and a safe, low-cost, and effective method to achieve patient safety exists, health care organizations and public health authorities have a responsibility to take action and change the status quo. Mandatory influenza vaccination for health care workers is supported not only by scientific data but also by ethical principles and legal precedent.

Doctors Shouldn’t Get Fired for Skipping the Flu Shot

For those who refuse due to ethical or scientific reservations, there are penalties. In addition to potentially being fired or losing income, work privileges are lost and physicians lose access to information systems, which prevents them from accessing patient records, conducting research, and billing for their medical services.

CDC

Influenza vaccination information for health care workers.

Immunization Action Coalition

The Influenza Vaccination Honor Roll represents the champions who have taken the lead in mandating influenza vaccination within their organization or institution.

Nurses Against Mandatory Vaccines

Blog and writings for members and non-members of those who do not support forced vaccination in the workplace.