Healthcare workers in the state of New York are resisting and protesting government-mandated vaccinations against the seasonal and swine influenzas, drawing a great deal of media coverage.

Hundreds of protestors rallied Tuesday at the Capitol in Albany chanting “No forced shots” to demand that the rule be overturned. Hundreds more also gathered at demonstrations around the state.    

The so-called “emergency regulation” approved by the State Health Department in August has attracted widespread criticism from unions, employees, and opponents all across the country. With no religious or philosophical exemptions, it purports to require all New York hospital, hospice, and home healthcare workers — more than half of a million people so far — to be inoculated, though it doesn’t explain how it should be enforced.

In response, hospitals are telling their workers to get the flu shots or get fired — an unprecedented step that is meeting increasing resistance. “We see this as an issue of workers’ rights,” explained a spokesperson for the New York State Nurses Association, which opposes the regulation. Many healthcare workers are openly refusing to take the shot, threatening to quit or move elsewhere.       

"These mandatory vaccination programs are really sucking the air out of the room to deal with infection control in a more comprehensive manner," explained occupational health and safety director of the Service Employees International Union Bill Borwegen. "This is the worst time to be demoralizing health-care workers: when we need them to be on the front line of this epidemic."

The Public Employees Federation has also come out against the policy, with President Kenneth Brynien releasing a statement calling for it to be reversed. “No other state mandates vaccination for influenza, nor has the federal government done so,” he said. “New York health care workers should not be used to test an unproven policy.” He also noted that some employees have already left or been fired for refusing to comply.

“Most of us just don’t feel that it’s safe,” nurse Sue Fields, one of the primary organizers of the protests, told Fox News. “We all know that this is a fast-tracked medication — it contains thimerosal, it contains mercury.” She also argued that the government should not be mandating vaccines. USA Today, in an article entitled "N.Y. health care workers protest mandatory H1N1 flu shots," quoted her saying: “There's no proof this vaccine will protect us from swine flu or protect us from spreading it to others.”

Others were concerned about the lack of standard testing procedures. "This vaccine has not been clinically tested to the same degree as the regular flu vaccine," nurse Tara Accavallo told Newsday. "If something happens to me, if I get seriously injured from this vaccine, who's going to help me?" It won’t be the vaccine makers because they have been issued blanket immunity by the government, yet one more concern among healthcare workers.  

Another protesting healthcare worker was worried about the effects the vaccine could have on her unborn child. "Up until this year, the choice to forego the vaccine has been there for me," said Cherryl Robbins. "This year, at a time when I'm pregnant with my first child, and I feel more responsibility for what I put in my body than at any other point in my life, that choice has been taken away from me."

The state’s Health Commissioner is dismissing their concerns and criticizing the “anti-vaccine” protesters, arguing that the immunizations were safe and effective. “Questions about safety and claims of personal preference are understandable,” wrote Commissioner Richard Daines. But the rest of his letter indicates that he doesn’t really feel that way. He bemoaned the normal 40 to 50 percent immunization rates under even the most “vigorous” voluntary programs and said patients are better served with forced vaccinations for health staff.

“Without mandated vaccinations, many ethically troubling situations may occur,” he said, pointing to dubious scenarios like a worker refusing the seasonal flu vaccine but then expecting “to be in the front of the line for the ‘good stuff’ – the new and strictly rationed swine flu vaccine.” He closed by prodding the subjects of the mandate to support the forced vaccinations. 

Another proponent of the mandatory vaccine regime was quoted in a New York Times article entitled "In Requiring Flu Vaccinations for Health Care Workers, New York Hits Resistance." “We tried to market the idea, to push people, to educate,” said Dr. Julie Gerberding, the former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “It’s time to look at a more aggressive approach.” 

Protestors held a wide variety of signs with slogans like “the state doesn’t own my body,” “no flu shot, no job?” and “we’re not lab rats.” Others referenced the Fourth Amendment. A variety of groups helped organize the protests, including the local Campaign for Liberty chapters and the Autism Action Network. Activists nationwide have joined in the fray, fearing similar and even more draconian proposals could expand across the country if resistance isn’t fierce.

Some are claiming this is just a precursor to forced shots for everybody. A Washington Post article entitled "Mandatory Flu Shots Hit Resistance" quotes Lori Price of Citizens for Legitimate Government, an organization that favors limited government. "You start with health-care workers but then expand that umbrella to make it mandatory for everybody," she said. "It's all part of an encroachment on our liberties." 

George Annas, a bioethicist with Boston University told the Post: "As a general rule, medicine should be a voluntary occupation. Once you start requiring doctors to get it, doctors are going to think it's reasonable to make patients get it. It starts you down that mandatory route, and I don't think we want to go there."

The resistance to vaccines amongst healthcare workers is hardly unique to America. In Britain, for instance, over half of all general practitioners have indicated that they will turn down the shot. At least one third of nurses, too.

A private hospital has a right to establish conditions of employment, but the government has no business mandating any sort of medical procedures whatsoever. New York’s health “authorities” have overstepped their bounds, and hopefully they have bitten off more than they can chew. Vaccination and medical treatment must always remain voluntary for everyone in America, regardless of their occupation — the right to control one’s own body is unalienable and sacred, and so it must be respected by the state.

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Thomas Paine said:

	What BS. Remember the Strecker Memorandum If we get Gov health care, you can count on forced vaccines in the future with the Government immune from liability. Time to re-read the Strecker Memorandum (internet). In 1986 he alerted all Congressman and Governors that the AIDS virus was man made and spread to Gays in the US trough the Hepatitus B Vaccine. This is dangerous territory.
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October 02, 2009
Votes: +3

Always American said:

	READ: A Brief History of Government Immunizations http://www.thenewamerican.com/...nizations Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty. Thomas Jefferson Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow. Benjamin Franklin
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October 02, 2009
Votes: +5

Always American said:

	A Brief History of Government Immunizations http://www.thenewamerican.com/...nizations
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October 02, 2009
Votes: +1

Always American said:

	A Brief History of Government Immunizations I don't know why the system keeps truncating the address, however you can still find the article on thenewamerican.com by clicking on the HISTORY tab then on the WORLD tab then click "A Brief History of Government Immunizations"
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October 02, 2009
Votes: +3

Sarah said:

	Excellent piece Forced medicating of any kind is despicable in a free society. Hopefully, this will help wake up those who advocate this kind of treatment of our children. Richard Daines, who has circumvented the NY public health laws and the legislature with his 'rule' should be removed from office.
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October 03, 2009
Votes: +5

Jim said:

	Time is running out. I began to research the Avian/Swine last year when my partner, an NHS [British National Health] employee began her intensive training for the predicted flu pandemic. If you want to find out the truth about the swine flu and the mandatory vaccines just google "swine/avian flu, the story so far.
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October 03, 2009 | url
Votes: +2

eiweibpulver said:

... Obviously you haven't seen the results of the short term (2-3 week) trials on the vaccines that are being mandated that we take -- let's look a little closer at some of the results: 1) Short-term -- albeit similar to previous other vaccines created by our pharmaceutical industries I know of no study on the vaccine that has exceeded a 4-5 week period. Why? There isn't any -- although the alterations made to our immune system may last a lifetime. 2) Effectiveness -- at best -- with two doses of an adjuvanted vaccine nearly 1 in 10 patients did not show a "potentially protective immune response as measured by hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization assays" -- even those that did show a "potentially" effective response -- there is no clear prove that "potentially" means "actually" -- these are all test tube tests. 4) Mutagenicity -- What about the 10% of patients that showed no seroconversion following vaccination? The influenza virus rapidily undergoes random nucleotide substitutions -- maybe such events are actually accelerated by the vaccine 5) Safety -- 70% of the Novartis -- the same company that produces the bisphosphonates that are responsible for osteonecrosis of the jaw -- trial volunteers reported pain at the injection site, 42% had muscle aches, 45% had systemic symptoms such as headache, several had fever and malaise.

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October 05, 2009 | url
Votes: +1

concerned nurse said:

	Mr Daines should show support Why don't we insist that Richard Daines publicly receive the H1N1 vaccine as a show of support for the health care workers. When asked if he will receive the vaccine he stated that he would not be the first in line for it. What better way to allay fears of safety issues than to publicly receive it himself. Why not Mr Daines?
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October 05, 2009
Votes: +6

esweeney said:

	Heated debate There is a heated debate going on at OSHA Healthcare Advisor about this regulation. Feel free to take a look or weigh in with your own opinion: http://blogs.hcpro.com/osha/20...t#comments
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October 06, 2009 | url
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Barbara Lock said:

	Leading Bioethicist and Health Law Expert Thinks Forced Immunizations is Bad Policy I interviewed leading bioethicist and health law expert George Annas, JD, of Boston University School of Public Health. He thinks that mandatory immunizations of healthcare workers, while legal, is bad policy. http://www.medpie.com/Conversations/featured-articles/annas.html
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October 07, 2009 | url
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Judy Canzler said:

Home Health Aide I am appalled that the state of New York feels that that can run my life. But I have another question. If it is children that are more suseptable to the swine flu then why is it that it is NOT madatory for all TEACHER and DAYCARE workers to get the vaccination!! Ater all they are with our children on a daily basis. We are making the children NOT there caretaker take a risk by geting vaccinations.. WHY us healthcare workers and not teacher? I see discrimination here ... dont you?

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October 15, 2009
Votes: +1

Ellen Kamhi said:

	President It is illegal and dangerous to have any kind of mandatory health treatment. In addition there is NO PROOF that getting these brand new untested vaccinations that are filled with toxic additives and preservatives will make anyone healthier !
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October 15, 2009 | url
Votes: +0