Vaccines In Politics

                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