In
October 2012, the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) adopted amendments
to the Rules and Regulations for Immunization and Testing for Healthcare
Workers. The amendments made flu shots mandatory for all healthcare “workers,
students, trainees, and volunteers who may have routinely anticipated
face-to-face interaction, also known as ‘direct contact,’ with patients at a
healthcare facility,” according to the Rhode Island Government website. This is
not an unusual request. Nurses, doctors, students, and volunteers in Florida
and other states are required to receive annual flu shots.
The
patients that healthcare workers treat tend to be more at risk as a rule.
Logically, it is unlikely that you go see your doctor to tell him that you’ve
been feeling amazing these past two months. More likely, you see your doctor when
you’re feeling under the weather, because he can tell what is wrong and the
best way to treat it.
Nurses
in retirement communities have a big reason to get their flu shots also. Studies
have found that those over 65 years are less likely to get an acute illness,
but when they do, it is more likely to be fatal. And a large portion of older adults
(65+) have chronic illnesses that weaken their immune functioning. If the nurses
refused to get vaccinated, but continued to work these communities would be at
risk. Hospitals have similar situations.
Despite
this, some Rhode Island healthcare workers and more unrelated people believe
this amendment to be a violation of the Constitution because it requires people
to do something maybe against their will. According to the RI government
website,
“Healthcare workers and volunteers who have a medical reason
for not getting a flu shot may obtain a medical exemption from their doctor,
licensed physician's assistant or licensed nurse practitioner. This exemption
must be renewed annually and submitted to the employing facility by December 15
each year. Healthcare workers and volunteers who are opposed to having a flu
shot but are not medically exempt must submit a form annually by December 15
that states their refusal to be immunized against influenza and indicates their
understanding that they are obligated to wear a surgical face mask during each
routinely anticipated direct patient contact during any declared period in
which the flu is widespread. That determination will be made by the Director of
Health, and healthcare facilities will notify all workers that "a period
in which flu is widespread" has been declared for the facility.”
"HEALTH listened
closely to all stakeholders and used that feedback to craft amendments that
addressed the concerns of healthcare workers and volunteers, while protecting
patients from the threat of influenza," said Michael Fine, MD, director of
HEALTH. "Those who care for and interact with patients in a healthcare
setting have a duty to protect the health and safety of those for whom they
care. A flu shot for all those who interact with patients as part of their
employment or volunteer efforts at a healthcare facility is the best way to
prevent the spread of influenza to some of our state's most vulnerable
populations."
In
2013, Michael Fine, MD, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health
(HEALTH) suggested that every vaccine recommended by the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) be required to attend pre-school, daycare, elementary
school, middle school, high school, and postsecondary institutions in Rhode Island.
Since youth are vulnerable, this amendment is logical. However, in the comments
of an article declaring Fine’s policy unconstitutional, Cia Parker said,
“RI parents should sue this fascist Director of Health for
attempted holocaust of their children. They should cite VAERS data as well as
data from Vaccine Court, which has awarded c. $3 billions to families of
vaccine injured and killed children. US is the only western country which has
such genocidal policy toward its citizens.”
This
whole comment just set me off. If you wish to make a claim against a policy,
you don’t start by name calling. Oh, and not just name calling, but INACCURATE
name calling. According to the Political Research Associates,
“Fascism rejects the principles of class struggle and
workers' internationalism as threats to national or racial unity, yet it often
exploits real grievances against capitalists and landowners through ethnic
scapegoating or radical-sounding conspiracy theories. Fascism rejects the
liberal doctrines of individual autonomy and rights, political pluralism, and
representative government, yet it advocates broad popular participation in
politics and may use parliamentary channels in its drive to power. Its vision
of a ‘new order’ clashes with the conservative attachment to tradition-based
institutions and hierarchies, yet fascism often romanticizes the past as
inspiration for national rebirth.”
Nothing
that Fine suggests comes close to real fascism. The article that Parker
commented on never bothered to mention that religious exemptions are allowed in
most cases. The one it does mention is pre-school workers, because they aren’t
supposed to exempt. They deal with the other most at risk age group. But HEALTH
is making a compromise. Those who refuse shots must wear a surgical mask during
any “declared period in which the flu is widespread.” Obviously, Fine is either
not a fascist or a very bad one.
Parker
also claims that data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
be cited as grounds for suing Fine. I tackle that debate here. In short, the VAERS was not meant
to be cited as a scientific source. VAERS qualifies as the observation part of
the scientific method, not the experimental data.
But wait, there’s more. After that,
Parker continues by calling vaccinations a “genocidal policy” that is
attempting the “holocaust of its children.” Am I the only who felt the Hitler
comparisons? I don’t doubt that the links were intentional. Comparing a
political leader of vaccine reformation to Hitler is pretty close to fear
mongering. Parker is claiming that a public official is attempting genocide
through vaccines and trying to destroy our system of government in three sentences.
Even the gubernatorial race in Florida did not generate this kind of accusations.
As the Daily Show so kindly points out,
Sources:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/03/action-alert-ri-proposes-worst-vaccine-regulation-ever.html
http://sos.ri.gov/documents/archives/regdocs/holding/DOH/Immunzation_HearingNotice_16January%202014.pdf
http://www.ri.gov/press/view/17589
http://www.publiceye.org/eyes/whatfasc.html
http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20141019/PC05/141019524/1177/understanding-risk-stop-worrying-about-ebola-and-go-get-a-flu-shot
