Swine Flu and You

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MissApril Posts : 276 Registered: 1/21/09
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 1:28 PM Go to message in response to: FrancieElaine

I work in a home healthcare system and I HATE showing up sick. But I have no choice. I was told in my interview I was expected to show up to every shift, no exceptions. I have called off once for a migraine so bad I could barely move, and my employment status was threatened. The guys I work for are vaccinated so I don't have to be, and sorry but I just don't want to get vaccinated. I've heard too many conflicting stories so I'm just going to take my chances. I frequently wash my hands, disenfect doorknobs (countertops, phones, etc.) cough and sneeze into my elbow, wear a clean change of clothes every day (trust me, not everyone does) and pretty much anything else I can think of to keep myself sanitary. I don't even touch most surfaces in public and use my own pen to try to keep people safe from me. So even if I am exposed to it, I am not as likely to spread it arround as most people. But even someone who is vaccinated could pass it arround. Things we do without thinking about it like opening doors, signing checks, entering pin numbers, any one of the surfaces you touch could aid you in passing it arround. And really, majority of people have MRSA in their nose, so as far as the swine flu I think I'll be fine. I'm no more likely to give it to an old man at a bus stop than someone in front of him in line at a grocery store.
CoolStick your head out the window and smile for a satellite picture!Tongue out

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BirdLover Posts : 2,835 Registered: 3/30/06
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 2:36 AM Go to message in response to: MissApril

April, your boss sounds like a real treat. Not only does he/she not care about YOU having to bust your butt when you should be at home resting, but he/she obviously doesn't care about protecting your patients.

I don't envy your situation. But sadly, you are not alone. I know SO MANY people who are pressured to attend work when they are sick (or who need to due to financial reasons and work at a place that doesn't provide any paid sick days). That is a HUGE issue.
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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 10:10 AM Go to message in response to: BirdLover

Sorry if I offend anyone, but I actually agree with mandatory vaccinations for health care workers, particularly in hospital or at-home settings.

I totally agree. People trust medical professionals with their health, so they should be required to take every precaution available to prevent the spread of viruses.

I also think that people in other assorted fields should be required to get vaccines, namely childcare, care of the elderly, food service, and any other job in which workers are in frequent contact with the public. But I also think that all those jobs should provide liberal sick leave and encourage their employees to take advantage of it - and healthcare for everyone.

For myself, however, I just don't think it's necessary. I don't work with the public, I rarely get sick, and I have a ridiculous amount of sick leave and an employer that encourages us to use it. I doubt that I'll get sick, but if I do, I'll stay home until I feel better. And because I don't work with the public, I'd risk infecting very few people before I knew I was sick. It's not that I distrust vaccines or the government - I just don't like putting stuff into my body without a good reason, and I don't have a good reason to do it. If I worked with the public or came in contact with high-risk people, I'd feel differently.


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MissApril Posts : 276 Registered: 1/21/09
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 10:33 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

I'm not offended easy so no need for disclaimers. I know. I probably should get vaccinated. But like I said the guys I work for already are, and I hate most people so i'm not in public very often. Do these guys see their families? No. No family to spread it to. Most of them are viewed as a shame for the family and are disowned so the only time they come into contact with people is when they are at their day programs, arround other vaccinated people. So I'm glad for them that they're not as paranoid as I am and got the shot. I don't entirely mistrust the government, I completely mistrust the media, and then I've got my crazy dad going on and on about how this is big brother. And being sick of that all, I'm just holding off until I hear a compelling reason to get it.
CoolStick your head out the window and smile for a satellite picture!Tongue out

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BirdLover Posts : 2,835 Registered: 3/30/06
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 2:10 PM Go to message in response to: MissApril

You know, vaccines are not 100% effective, so you could still risk infecting someone if you get sick, even if they are vaccinated. But if BOTH of you are vaccinated, there is almost no chance of you making someone else sick.

Considering you have a jerk of a boss who expects you to come to work when sick...isn't THAT a compelling enough reason to get the shot? Because you are already admitting that you will, in fact, be going to work when you are sick and contagious.

Which, vaccinated or not, is still not a good idea, and your boss is still a jerk for demanding it. A bad cold could potentially make someone very sick, and there is no vaccine for that. I'm glad that you are really good about handwashing, etc. but you can bet that there might be some of your colleagues who are not.

Which brings up another point...isn't it sad that the health care system actually has to make commercials encouraging people to wash their hands and cover their mouth when they sneeze when they are sick? Not sure what that says about our society...
Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker

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PharmToxGirl Posts : 5,462 Registered: 8/30/07
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 4:15 PM Go to message in response to: BirdLover

A bad cold could potentially make someone very sick, and there is no vaccine for that.

Just to back this up - a cold killed my friend. She was undergoing chemo - caught a cold and in her immunocompromised state it killed her in a day.

 

 

 

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BirdLover Posts : 2,835 Registered: 3/30/06
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 5:30 PM Go to message in response to: PharmToxGirl

I'm sorry Pharm :(

I mentored a little boy when I was a bit younger who was undergoing chemo. He had to stay home anytime ANYTHING was "going around". Especially Chicken Pox! That was the hugest fear!

I know some people think it's silly to vaccinat for Chicken pox, but I'm sure his family would have loved to have that option back then...wouldn't have had to miss so much school.

Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker

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Bally Posts : 355 Registered: 9/25/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 7:01 AM Go to message in response to: BirdLover

Bird, the pharmacutical companies should employ you to be a vaccine spokesperson :P

I think the choice to vaccinate yourself/your family is a personal one. Unless of course you work in a healthcare setting for the same reasons as PP's have stated.

I get the idea behind vaccinating so you prevent passing an illness on to other people who could potentially die from it. However, how many people actually think like that? How many people say, I'm not at risk of complications from this but I will get the vaccine anyways, just so I don't end up accidently killing a randomer. If only people thought like that in all aspects of life, wouldn't we live in a better world?


Anyways, all that said and done, I'm gonna be hyprocritical as I'm still not getting vaccinated. And I still plan on not vaccinating my bambinos except against tetnus and polio when they are older.

And yes, some people are mistrusting of the government, and in my opinion, with good reason. They are all corrupt, withhold the truth and most only seek to advance themselves. They are way too out of touch with the majority of voters. Have we ever had a government actually follow through on all their promises??

For example, Ireland has now voted NO to the lisbon treaty twice in a row, yet the government has called ANOTHER vote on it. Basically they are going to keep making us vote til we say yes to the treaty. How the fck is that democracy?? We've already said NO twice, the people have spoken!

And April is right about questioning the media. Its a very easy thing to manipulate. Not trying to be all conspiracy theory, but its good and healthy to be skeptical and to ask questions, seek second opinions and think for yourselves! During the Troubles in N.Ireland, the media was very instrumental in manipulating events and making catholics/republicans come out looking like the baddies. And the Republican media was very good at making protestants look like murderous thugs, which has now caused ingrained hatred in both sides of the community. When in reality, both sides were equally bad and did equally bad things.

Anyways, can you tell I'm bored at work? lol...I will quit rambling now

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DoesntPlayNice Posts : 809 Registered: 12/17/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 8:58 AM Go to message in response to: Bally

I don't know if I already said this...so if I did...too bad read it again! haha JK

Being in the Military I was forced to have whatever vaccinations they required. My shot record is like 3 pages long. I think I am vaccinated against everything imaginable! (except new stuff of course) I THOUGHT I had strep throat last week...i had all the symptoms and went to the doctor and the rapid test came back negative...i was Positive the 24 hour one would come back pos...but nope. I was exposed to Strep and somehow never got it!

I completely lost my train of thought because I got interrupted with work stuff.

Previously Posted as Military Bride.

CEO of E.N.E.M.A. (Enemy Negotiations & Extraction Military Agency) A special Division of P.O.O.P. (People Offended by Offended People)

When POOP can't do it alone....they call for the ENEMA.



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Bally Posts : 355 Registered: 9/25/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 9:17 AM Go to message in response to: DoesntPlayNice

Hahaha I love it...

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starfish701 Posts : 465 Registered: 12/10/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 9:40 AM Go to message in response to: Bally
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Bally Posts : 355 Registered: 9/25/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 9:44 AM Go to message in response to: starfish701

I can't open youtube :( what is it about?

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starfish701 Posts : 465 Registered: 12/10/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 10:07 AM Go to message in response to: Bally
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Bally Posts : 355 Registered: 9/25/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 10:10 AM Go to message in response to: starfish701

I still can't open that. Must be my computer. Care to summerise it for me?

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starfish701 Posts : 465 Registered: 12/10/08
Re: Swine Flu and You
Posted: Oct 9, 2009 10:24 AM Go to message in response to: Bally

Its basically two 1970's commercials about why you should get the swine flu vaccine, They are funny because well they are from the 70's and ridiculous overly dramatic. To sum up the second commercial, if you don't get the swine shot your grandmom's friend will DIE!!! To bad the 1970's version of the vaccine had some pretty serious side effects for some.
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