I'm a fellow here in Los Angeles, with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program at the University of Los Angeles and Children's Hospital. I learned after I'd applied, been accepted and attended for a couple of months that all "employees" of the hospital must get a flu vaccine or wear a mask during the trainings. The trainings are held in a building across town from the hospital, in a series of classrooms. In addition to myself and a couple of other parent fellows, the other trainees are primarily in the medical world -- psychologists, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists and dentists.
I was told today that I'm the ONLY person to have declined the flu shot and that I would have to wear a mask until the program is over. We don't do flu shots in our family. There have been numerous occasions of family members reacting badly to flu shots and, frankly, I'm a bit afraid of them. You can argue all you want about them, and I do understand that if people are working closely with vulnerable children they should get one, but I find it ridiculous and coercive to force me to get one.
As far as I'm concerned, if people want to be fully protected from the flu virus, we should all go around wearing a hazmat suit.
So, I'm feeling stressed about wearing the mask. It's bound to be embarrassing. Basically, everyone will know that I've declined the vaccine. This is a medical group and I know there'll be silent titters. I guess I'll sit tall, but to tell you the truth, I'm almost tempted to throw in the towel as it is and start training to be a surfing instructor or something.
i am not trying to be vulgar, but a capitol F sort of tells the story of a capitol T who had his nuts chopped off and handed to him.
ReplyDeleteeither that or Van Goh chopping his ear off (if he were capitol T) but instead of sending it to his horrible ex girlfriend he put it where his nuts are and pretended it were an elephant's trunk and made the noise "baaarrrrrvvvvvmmmmm!"
Judging by that picture, I don't think anyone would notice the mask.
ReplyDelete:)
sigh... I had a flu shot last Sunday. Still dealing with the aftereffects. You have a right to make an intelligent, informed, choice. And who are they kidding with the mask stuff?
ReplyDeleteA little over kill,I think.Considering that on their 4th floor,the oncology floor,with the most immune suppressed of all,until we lost 2 kids last summer to the swine flu,doctors,nurses,visitors and every Tom,Dick and Harry could come and go as they pleased.
ReplyDeleteEmailing you in a bit a bout something.
Gregg agrees with you 100%. stories. Our parents are getting the shots, but we haven't.
ReplyDeleteGeeze. Will they make people who are actually sick stay home? How about the girl behind the counter at Starbucks who coughed into someone's lattè yesterday?
ReplyDeleteIt's nuts, you wearing a mask. If you had the flu you'd know it, and I'd hope you'd stay home. But in every workplace workers are coughing onto clients and customers while parents send their sick kids to school so they, in turn, can go to work and spread around whatever junior has given them.
Haz mat suits for everyone starting when we turn the clocks back to standard time, I say.
embroider a bright red F on the front of your mask and wear it proudly.
ReplyDeleteOh puhleeze. As an RN I find this totally asinine. And as an RN try calling in sick if you work in a hospital. See how concerned they are then....
ReplyDeleteThat's silly. I don't do flu shots either.
ReplyDeleteThis is so ridiculous. I'm an avid vaccine supporter - but flu vaccine does not guarantee that you won't get sick - it's a statistical bet on which strain of flu will crop up each year. What an asinine policy.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very weird and silly request, with little reason to be as Whitney above points out.
ReplyDeletePeople against flu shots simply because they feel it encroaches on their ego - being told what to do - is asinine. Argue the actual medical facts if you will; personally I think that if you suppress one virus in one place you force nature to come up with a stronger virus in another place - but. The last thing I need is for my son to get a severe flu on top of his bronchiectasis. Because being in the hospital is a crap shoot.
ReplyDeleteEric -- I'm a little taken aback by your comment as it appears to imply that my objections to the flu shot are due to ego and ego alone. God, I hope not. I hope you're referring to those "libertarians" who object to "the government" telling them what to do, but the tone of your comment is confusing. It's a blanket policy at this hospital and all of its buildings, however far they might be from the actual site of sick children. It's coercive, plain and simple -- an attempt to get as much "compliance" as possible to serve a real public health issue -- but in my opinion, a silly one.
ReplyDeleteJust sitting here shaking my head. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThis seems rather outrageous to me. Just because you haven't had the flu shot doesn't make you freaking contageous.
ReplyDeleteI don't get 'em either.
I won't get one either. The one year I did, I ended up with flu (which I had NEVER had before) and then pneumonia. Put some blingy rhinestones on your mask and everyone will want one ... It is LA right?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, dear, now why would I imply something personal? Everyone here is exposing his/her personal opinion on the subject of vaccines or the coercive approach of the hospital, that was mine. Conformity is not always abhorrent.
ReplyDeleteI still know people who refuse to wear seatbelts. Do you remember when that was still a topic of discussion? "no one is going to tell me..."?
Some issues are one of compromise and should be seen in the light it's intended. The intention here is to raise awareness and actually reduce illness, not to just tell people what to do. Is smoking allowed in elevators? On airplanes? Will being exposed to smoke always give someone cancer? NO. Will using masks reduce the incidence of sickness? Very questionable. Draconian? Probably. Out of proportion? Definitely.
Rules are rarely made to protect the masses, just a susceptible minority. Seatbelts are a good example imo. How often has a seatbelt saved your life? I've driven about 1,000,000 kms in my 28 years on the roads. A seatbelt was never needed because I never had more than a fender bender. Still I always use one, and a helmet on a motorcycle.
I'm just saying, Elizabeth, people should have a good reason for what they choose to believe. And those saying it's asinine without even knowing the reasons or understanding the medical perspective should inform themselves.
I understand the concern, but the logic fails completely. the flu shot will protect against the targeted viruses, but not against the 1000s of others viruses out there. If those getting the shots are protected by the vaccine, why do you need to wear a mask. You choose not to "protect" yourself by getting the shot, but that doesn't mean you are a threat to those who did get it. Not sure this makes sense, but I hope you get my meaning.
ReplyDeleteHoly shit.
ReplyDeleteJesus. Excuse my french but SERIOUSLY. It's your choice not to get the shot, and it's your choice to expose yourself to a room full of people! I mean, they seriously don't think that they are protecting themselves from YOU...right?? Everybody else got the shot! This kind of bullshit burns me up.
ReplyDeleteI hope you write a cheeky message on the outside of your mask.