@californiaaa People who went to other countries from the US and got sick there and came back very soon after could bring it back with them. Also the problem with that adult who had shingles was that they probably didn’t get vaccinated in the first place which is why they got shingles.
<since when=“” do=“” medical=“” professionals=“” not=“” get=“” vaccinated?=“”>
Medical professionals are not REQUIRED to be vaccinated. Facility workers are not required to be vaccinated.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6418974
But for healthy individuals, the CDC recommends that all health care personnel, students in training for those professions, and other high-risk groups such as employees of assisted living communities be vaccinated against the influenza virus.
Professionals make a variety of excuses for not getting the influenza vaccine, chief among which are that they are too busy or that getting vaccinated is inconvenient. Others don’t like needles or believe, mistakenly, that the vaccine will result in a bout of the flu.
Nancy Ludwick, a registered nurse at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., has had flu vaccinations in the past, particularly after Scripps began to require formal declination for those who chose not to receive the vaccine.
After her last vaccination, Ludwick said she got sick. But this year, Ludwick is experimenting with not getting vaccinated.
“I haven’t had the flu in … [11] years,” Ludwick said. “I don’t like to take anything. I barely take a vitamin. … I’m doing my own trial to see how I would feel or not.”
I can’t get a flu shot, neither can my kids. To be honest, if I had to get one (I teach college, so there can be outbreaks), I would have to quit.
The problem is that germs don’t know the difference, they don’t care why you aren’t vaccinated. And there will be people with kids with illnesses or even recovering from illnesses who will not want my kid - though there is clear medical evidence of severe side effects which include shock - to attend their school.
That would be a different thing than forcing me not to work at a particular job. If my kids were made to stay home from their public school, I’d go ape crap.
@californiaaa you have no idea why the vaccine did not work for her. The flu is very difficult to vaccinate against because it mutates so frequently and there are many different strains. Every yeah the vaccine is made for a few of the most likely to appear strains not all of them otherwise the vaccine would only be ready by the time the next set of mutations came about. Flu vaccines do not claim to be perfect so using them as an example of not working is very flawed.
throckmorten,
Good point. Could USA require travelers to endemic polio regions (relatively small population) get polio vaccine (and check their titer before return) before such travel? I think it would make more sense to immunize targeted group than to immunize all infants.
<also the="" problem="" with="" that="" adult="" who="" had="" shingles="" was="" they="" probably="" didn’t="" get="" vaccinated="" in="" first="" place="" which="" is="" why="" got="">
May be. The fact is that adults often spread diseases. Everyone is fixed on “unimmunized children spreading diseases”. Actually, adults (with high probability of shingles) may be more dangerous.
@californiaaa 1 you still miss the point of infant vaccination which i already described to you so I will no loner address that. 2 people are strongly advised to get such vaccines when traveling to regions which such diseases. The US should require those vaccinations. Thank you for the good argument for required vaccinations.
<also the="" problem="" with="" that="" adult="" who="" had="" shingles="" was="" they="" probably="" didn’t="" get="" vaccinated="" in="" first="" place="" which="" is="" why="" got="" shingles.="">
Actually, there is a nice shingles vaccine available. Should adults be required to get it? To protect vulnerable populations against chickenpox?
“a significant chunk of health care professionals declined to get vaccinated against the influenza virus during the 2006-07 flu season”
From the cdc-
"•Overall, final 2013-14 flu vaccination coverage among health care workers was 75.2% , similar to coverage of 72.0% in the 2012-13 season.
•Coverage was highest among HCP working in settings with flu vaccination requirements (97.8%).
•By occupation, flu vaccination was highest among physicians (92.2%) and nurses (90.5%), followed by nurse practitioners/physician assistants (89.6%), other clinical personnel (87.4), and pharmacists (85.7%).
•Coverage by occupation was lowest for assistants/aides (57.7%) and non-clinical personnel (68.6%). "
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/HealthcareWorkers.htm
I think the article is a bit misleading, and its far from “only about 40 percent opting for a jab” (perhaps it didn’t include flu mist?)
And anecdotally, some healthcare professionals opt out of the flu shot due to the limited supply; they’d rather have somebody else get it.
@californiaaa the adults are only dangerous to the children who DID NOT GET THE VACCINE. It is the same virus as chickenpox which is why the chickenpox vaccine would greatly eliminate that risk. Everyone with these diseases is only a risk to those who are not vaccinated. If we vaccinate all of the children then they will be safe from these diseases and less likely to spread them to others.
rhandco, <i can’t="" get="" a="" flu="" shot,="" neither="" can="" my="" kids.="" to="" be="" honest,="" if="" i="" had="" one="" (i="" teach="" college,="" so="" there="" outbreaks),="" would="" have="" quit…="" that="" different="" thing="" than="" forcing="" me="" not="" work="" at="" particular="" job.="" kids="" were="" made="" stay="" home="" from="" their="" public="" school,="" i’d="" go="" ape="" crap.=""><i can’t="" get="" a="" flu="" shot,="" neither="" can="" my="" kids.="" to="" be="" honest,="" if="" i="" had="" one="" (i="" teach="" college,="" so="" there="" outbreaks),="" would="" have="" quit…="" that="" different="" thing="" than="" forcing="" me="" not="" work="" at="" particular="" job.="" kids="" were="" made="" stay="" home="" from="" their="" public="" school,="" i’d="" go="" ape="" crap.="">
Thanks
Until US requires high-risk adults to get vaccinated, I can’t accept required immunization of children. Personally, I feel that infants are required to pay (with their health) for the sins of adults. Simply, not fair.
The main problem with requiring adults to be vaccinated is that it would be a logistical nightmare. Ideally, all adults should be vaccinated for these diseases imo, but its not exactly a feasible option.
@californiaaa- the chickenpox vaccine did not become available until1995 so your husband probably did not get it or only did so as an adult. My youngest was the first of my kids to receive it-it came out the year he was born. By that time my older 3 had suffered CP. While it was mild for 2 of them, the 3rd had a severe case and spent 5 days in the hospital as a result. The only reason it is not common now is because of the vaccine. Keep in mind that once you have had CP, you are now susceptible to Shingles- a horrible thing as I can attest to.
@TranquilMind- as to the “superiority” of natural immunity, my DD1 had CP as a child so did not get the vaccine. She was tested for immunity recently because she was trying to get pregnant and shows no immunity. Her Dr. explained that is very common and that natural immunities often wear off. She has since received the vaccination.
I try to be non-judgemental about how others choose to raise their children- live and let live- UNTIL it affects those I love. If you don’t want to vaccinate your children or choose a " modified" schedule, that’s fine. Just stay away from me and my family. My youngest has a compromised immune system and the last thing he needs is some unvaccinated person near him.
By the same logic, unimmunized children are not dangerous to immunized children. Why do you require mandatory immunization of children?
Chickenpox vaccine is only 90% efficient. Even if you immunize all children (which is not feasible), 10% of children with have no immunity. Adults harbor dormant chickenpox for decades. Travelers would continue bringing chickenpox to USA.
If you can’t eradicate polio, you’ll not be able to eradicate chickenpox. Utopia.
@cslc76 I don’t know what data is correct. Even in your data set, almost half of low-level hospital employees are not immunized. Personally, I know many doctors that are not immunized. Thus, I am positive that in California medical providers are not required to be immunized and have right to opt out of immunization.
@californiaaa You do not understand herd immunity, the goal of vaccination. The reason that 10% of the population doesn’t have chicken pox when the vaccine is only 90% effective is because of herd immunity. Also there are children who are too young to get the vaccines themselves and those who are immunocompromised. What right do your children have to jeopardizes he health of those children?
<the main="" problem="" with="" requiring="" adults="" to="" be="" vaccinated="" is="" that="" it="" would="" a="" logistical="" nightmare.="" ideally,="" all="" should="" for="" these="" diseases="" imo,="" but="" its="" not="" exactly="" feasible="" option.="">
Exactly. Children are paying for the sins of adults. Politicians can’t require adults to get vaccinated, so they push vaccines on newborn babies. IS it fair? Nope.
Newborn immune system is not fully developed. It is much easier to harm newborns than adults. Vaccinate adults! It is much safer!
@californiaaa you just hit the reason why it is important to immunize the young. They have weak immune systems and the goal of the vaccines is to make sure they don’t die from these diseases not because it is a government conspiracy about harming babies.