Carle wants workers to get flu shots
URBANA — Carle employees who come into contact with patients will either have to get a flu shot soon or wear a mask during peak flu season.
Christie Clinic and the Provena hospitals in Urbana and Danville aren't adopting the same requirement, though they do offer their employees flu shots, they said.
Dr. William Scott, medical director of Carle employee health and occupational medicine, said Carle's new policy has been under consideration for the past eight months.
"We wanted to make sure we are offering the best safety to our patients, as much as possible, and to our coworkers," he said.
The new rule means Carle staff members who have direct contact with patients or who come within six feet of patients — including those who administer care, check patients in and collect payments — will be required to get flu shots or wear masks if they decline to be vaccinated.
Scott said this policy is consistent with a trend among other health care providers nationally and in East Central Illinois in the past year.
So far, he said, employees haven't provided any feedback to the new rule, he said.
Employees already are required to get an annual TB test and keep vaccinations current for such illnesses as measles, mumps and rubella, Carle officials say.
The flu shot will be provided free to Carle employees, and they'll be given paid time off to be vaccinated.
Christie Clinic spokeswoman Karen Blatzer said Christie Clinic offers free flu shots to its employees and strongly encourages them to receive the vaccine —— but doesn't make it mandatory.
Flu shot clinics are in progress at Christie Clinic, and Carle's flu shot clinics will begin Oct. 8 in Danville and Oct. 10 in Champaign-Urbana.
Scott said Carle has seen one or two cases of flu-like illnesses so far, but this time of year can bring colds and viral illnesses.
He encourages everyone in the community to get vaccinated for flu.
The timing of flu season is unpredictable and can vary from year to year. In the U.S., flu activity typically peaks in January or February, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But flu activity can also begin as early as October and cases can occur as late as May, according to the CDC.
For dates and times of flu shot clinics, see:
Carle: http://www.carle.org/flu
Christie: http://www.christieclinic.com
MoreI find it absurd, offending and downright discrimination that Carle is MAKING their employees get a flu shot or wear a mask. Tell me this: How will patients feel walking in to an appointment seeing half of the staff wearing masks and the other half of the staff with little stickers on their name badge that say "FLU"??? I was there yesterday and can honestly tell you I was hesitant to proceed with my appointment. Sounds like Carle wants to be in so much control of their employees that they have resulted to bullying them to do what Carle wants them to do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you still be a carrier of the flu even if you've had a vaccine against it? So, is Carle going to make their employee's families get vaccinated too? Or is that in their plan for next year? What if their employees get the flu vaccine and then are later diagnosed with the flu and have to miss work? Is Carle going to pay them (WITHOUT them having to use their accrued time off) and pay for any medical bills that are incurred? I highly doubt it. Way to go Carle. Administration says they do so much for the community and to keep their patients safe, but I guess they put their own employees on the back burner....again. If I worked at Carle, I would strongly consider finding a different employer and encourage everyone else to do the same.
I'm correcting you because you are wrong. You don't "carry" the flu. You get it or you don't but the problem is that you can infect some poor sick old patient for a day or two after you get the virus but before you have any symptoms yourself. If you work in healthcare you have a duty to protect your patients and you're protecting your family as well by getting the vaccine and reducing your chances of getting it. That means less chance you'll be sick and out of work and less chance that you'll make your family members sick. Try to think of others. They're worth your inconvenience.
There's plenty of feedback on Daily Dose, how do I know? I'm looking at it. They are mandating it even for employees who work at Health Alliance, HCH (Peoria) and Clinic employees who will never come in contact with patients. I remember when I got the flu vaccine, never again, I was sick for a week. My grandmother got it and almost died from it. She had no allergies. The vaccine is not a 100 percent guarantee you wont get the flu but if you listen Carle they will have you believe otherwise. Whatever. I'm not doing it. In turn I have to take a class on Flu Prevention, no problem, still not letting them inject me with the vaccine.
You cannot get influenza from the vaccination anymore than you get TB from a TB test. There's nothing alive in either to give you an infection. You had a bad cold or you already had gotten the flu before the shot. If you feel a little achy or off, it's your immune system responding appropriately.
So help me, I had better not come down with Guillain-Barre Syndrome after being vaccinated, or Carle will find themselves in court defending themselves against a bodily harm lawsuit. I hate the idea of pumping my body full of vaccines in the first place...I will accept vaccines against TB, etc. but I haven't had the flu in more than 10 years. I see no reason to purposely inject a virus directly into my body that I most likely can fend off on my own.
Glad you haven't had it in ten years but like flipping a coin, 10 tails in a row and it's still the same chance of heads on the next toss. You're injecting a dead virus; there's nothing alive in it to infect you. And there's nothing to sue over if you came to harm (VERY rare; no good evidence for Guillain-Barre for over 30 years and only a few more cases that one whole year than normally occur. Better chance of getting hit by lightning or a bus) because you agree to get it. If you won't get it, wear a mask or go work for an employer that's not as smart. I'm glad they're doing it. Patients come first.
I agree with all your comments, but especially mspontiac's. I have minimal direct contact with patients and consequently do not feel I'm a great risk to them - anymore than, as others mentioned, family, friends, or the general public are. Further, I, too, do not like taking medications unless I absolutely have to - not because I gag on them or anything, but I don't want to be exposed to any unnecessary chemicals/foreign items OR potential, life-threatening side effects. What's wrong with that? I want "me" to be safe too! I need more information and years of incidence/trends to convince me get the annual flu vaccine.
It is wonderful that Carle is recognizing this for the patient safety issue that it is! Children have to be vaccinated before going to school so they do not spread communicable diseases such as measles, pertussis etc., so why shouldn't healthcare workers who work around sick, immunocompromised patients be required to get a flu vaccine to protect their patients? People do not realize that they can spread the flu virus to others before they actually have symptoms, which could turn into a life or death situation for an immunocompromised person. Getting the flu vaccine is not just to protect the healthcare worker, but to protect their patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 36,000 people die each year from influenza. It is not something to be taken lightly. If people, choose to work in healthcare, they have a duty to protect their patients! If you don't want a flu vaccine, don't work in healthcare! Get the facts about flu vaccine and the side effects from CDC also. Many people believe things about risks from the flu vaccine that are not true and that research does not support. Get the facts healthcare workers and get vaccinated!
As a former Carle employee I'm proud that they had the moral courage to take a step toward what's right. You don't belong in healthcare if you're not there to improve the patients' health and it's irresponsible to go to work in flu season unimmunized. You can easily spread it to a dozen people well before you begin to have symptoms if you had it. You might feel a twinge of guilt if you bring home a cold to your family. Would you feel worse if you came down with the flu and gave it to a sick old patient who died from it? Fortunately you'd probably never know. It's a no-brainer. If you're there to make a difference, wash your hands and get your shots.
Its funny how people claim to know how vaccines work but struggle with comprehension. A lot of people work the administrative side of the business and everyone in healthcare isnt there to save the world. A lot of us are there because its a job and nothing more. A bad cold causes one to run a 104 degree temperature? Really? I am sure my grandmother's near death experience after the vaccine must have meant she was sick already, never mind the fact that has never been that sick before. Armchair doctors. Gotta love em'.
I seriously think that you need to check you facts before you start correcting people. The CDC website says: "Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than 7 days. Symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some persons can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others." so this means that you can "carry" the virus in your system and pass it on to others before you know your sick and maybe even if you never get sick... As far as not being able to get the flu from the vaccine again maybe you should read the symptoms of the flu and the side effects of the flu vaccine. According to the CDC flu symptoms are:
• Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
* It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
side effects from the flu vaccine:
Mild Problems
Some children and adolescents 2-17 years of age have reported:
• runny nose, nasal congestion or cough
• headache and muscle aches
• fever
• wheezing
• abdominal pain or occasional vomiting or diarrhea
Some adults 18-49 years of age have reported:
• runny nose or nasal congestion
• sore throat
• cough, chills, tiredness/weakness
• headache
can you explain the difference between the flu and the side effects of the vaccine because right now they are looking pretty close to being the same thing...
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