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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Community Comment

To Vaccinate or Not

Recently, Yahoo reported on nurses being fired at an Indiana hospital for refusing to get vaccinated.  (http://news.yahoo.com/nurses-fired-refusing-flu-shot-224637902--abc-news-health.html)

I am in a position where I depend on my care givers to get vaccinated for the flu.  I think that all care givers in hospitals and doctors' offices and clinics should get the flu vaccine - to protect their patients.  I recently got the whooping cough booster to safeguard my new grandchildren.

Several years ago, I helped care for Mechanic Man's grandmother in a nursing home here in Spokane.  After almost three years there, an aid came in with the flu instead of staying home (now THAT would be a novel idea as opposed to getting vaccinated).   Grandma got the flu within a couple days, vomited down her face and neck causing severe burns from the acid.  She also lost her ability to swallow.  So - she starved to death because someone didn't get vaccinated.

I think firing is a little over the top - but I also think that if you are in the health care field, you need to get vaccinated.

imho ~ Jeanie ~



Spokesman-Review readers blog about news and issues in Spokane written by Dave Laird.