NVIC Vaccine News

Child Care Workers Targeted for Vaccine Mandates

By Theresa Wrangham
Published January 16, 2013 in Government


Colorado and Texas are considering vaccine mandates targeting a new professional group: child care workers.
 
The Colorado Board of Health voted early in 2012 to pass a rule requiring health care facilities to implement mandatory employee vaccination policies with restrictive medical exemptions.[1]  Now there is a push from the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition for the Colorado Board of Health to approve “enhanced immunizations for child care center workers.”[2]
 

NVIC Calls for Dialogue and Transparency

 
NVIC’s Executive Director Theresa Wrangham recently attended a Town Hall Meeting in Longmont, Colorado, with legislators asking for “dialogue and transparency” when it comes to addressing policies such as this one. There is concern this rule is being drawn up behind closed doors. During meetings held last year with legislators, Theresa expressed concern about the ease with which the legislative process was bypassed and mandates enacted that impact human rights.
 
The best-case scenario would be for no mandate but Theresa said, “At the very least, the Board of Health should consider not just medical exemptions surrounding vaccine requirements, but religious and conscientious belief exemptions to uphold workers’ rights to exercise informed consent to medical risk-taking.” She added, “As with health care workers, this is a clear disregard of workplace rights and many professions may be the target of future rule changes and mandates.”
 
“We need to figure this out,” Theresa noted. “Or the erosion of individual rights is going to get much worse before it gets better.” 
 

Texas Senate Bill Targets Child Care Workers

 
In Texas during the next few months, legislators will discuss SB64 requiring licensed child care facilities to develop and implement policies surrounding employee vaccination.[3] In 2011, two bills requiring hospitals to develop mandatory vaccination policies for health care workers died in regular session, but an addition to a Medicaid finance bill in special session quickly pushed through the new state requirement for health care workers.  
 
NVIC’s Director of Advocacy, Dawn Richardson, said “The same Senator is back at it again in the 2013 legislative session, but now she is targeting the jobs of child care workers with SB 64.”[4], [5]
 
Dawn added that the push against vaccine mandates is about protecting the informed consent rights of Americans. “Vaccine mandates are creeping into the adult markets more and more,” she said. “We have to ask - who’s next and with what vaccines?”
 
“Are we going to get to the point where you can’t have a job without working under [vaccine] mandates?” she said. “It is one thing to say an employee has to wear safety equipment on the job. There are not many risks with safety equipment. There can, however, be significant risks with vaccines.”
 

Who Pays When Informed Consent Rights Are Violated?

 
NVIC has previously called on the Colorado Board of Health and the Texas Legislature to evaluate the bigger issues related to informed consent violations in the workplace. For example: 
- Who pays the bill when a worker is injured as a result of a vaccination?
- Does the vaccine injury claim go through worker’s compensation?
- What about unemployment compensation when workers are fired for refusing vaccination?
Several of these issues have already popped up around the country. At present, proposed rule changes in Colorado for child care workers have not been published, and it is unclear if such rule change proposals will address outstanding questions and their potential impact to taxpayers, or which vaccines are under consideration for mandate.
 
In Texas, SB54 will be heard in committee soon. There will be opportunities for the public to offer testimony. Users of the NVIC Advocacy Portal get the latest news about new vaccine mandate bills introduced in the states and are put into direct contact with their elected state representatives so they can make their voices heard.

 
NVIC Calendar Notes
 
Feb. 5-6, Jun. 11-12, and Sep. 10-11, 2013:  Meeting dates for the National Vaccine Advisory Committee and pre-registration is required. Meetings are open to members of the public.
 
Feb. 20-21, Jun. 19-20, and Oct. 23-24, 2013: Meeting dates for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Pre-registration is required – deadline Feb. 4.
 
Feb. 27, May 8-9, July 17-18 (backup date), Sep. 18-19 and Nov. 13-14, 2013: Tentative meeting dates for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
 
Mar. 7-8, Jun. 6-7, Sep. 5-6, and Dec. 5-6, 2013: Meeting dates for the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines.
 
 
In the News
 
Vaccine Schedule is Safe Report Says: Critics Call for More Research Into Whether Shots May Be Linked to Some Developmental Disorders. Health Day. Jan. 16, 2013.
 
Houston councilman votes to reject federal money for childhood vaccines. Houston CBS Affiliate, KHOU. Jan. 16, 2013
 
Vaccine Court Awards Milions to Two Children with Autism. Huffington Post. Jan. 14, 2013. 
 
Early hepatitis B Vaccination May Be Ineffective In Teenagers. News-Medical.Net.Jan. 14, 2013.
 
Hospitals Turn Away Visitors With Flu Symptoms. New York Times. Jan. 14, 2013.
 
Shot Offers Moderate Protection Against the Flu. Wall Street Journal. Jan. 11, 2013.
 
Americans ‘Are Sicker and Die Younger’ Than People in Other Wealthy Nations. The Guardian (UK). Jan. 10, 2013.
 
Goshen Nurses Lose Jobs After Refusing Flu Vaccination. The Goshen News (IN). Jan. 9, 2013. 
 
Tax on Flu Vaccine Helps Fund National Debt. Washington Examiner. Jan. 8, 2013. 
 
Banning Vaccine Preservative Would Hurt Kids in Poor Nations: Experts
HealthDay. Dec. 17, 2012.
 
 
 

References:


[1] Wrangham T. NVAC Says: Mandate Flu Shots for Health Care Workers. NVIC Newsletter Feb 21, 2012.
[2] Public Policy. Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition
[3] SB 64. Texas Legislature Online Nov. 12, 2012.
[4] SB1177 Forced Vaccination of Healthcare Workers Texas Legislature Online March 4, 2011.

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5 Responses to "Child Care Workers Targeted for Vaccine Mandates"
Commenter Name
Lis
Posted: 1/17/2013 3:29:50 PM
There has been several studies that shows that several vaccinations are not doing what the industry thought they were suppose to do. I DO NOT support mandatory vaccinations!
Commenter Name
Joanne
Posted: 1/18/2013 11:10:44 AM
No medication, including vaccines, should be mandatory for anyone. All drugs carry a possible risk of harm and should therefore never be mandated in any situation.
Commenter Name
angela nelson
Posted: 1/26/2013 3:37:48 PM
Absolutely nothing & no-thing,"should be", & "have to"! We have a free will, & we need to respect ourselves strongly & with integrity & abide by that. We also need to continuously empower ourselves & not empower the Pharma, President,Government,Sicko Health Care System,-etc. Blessings to all of us-Always!!!
Commenter Name
Kenzo
Posted: 2/11/2013 9:05:45 PM
this is a difficult sucjbet to dicuss with parents who have their own strong truths- either way It is our choice and that is the way it should be. BTW, no vaccine guarantees that you will not get what you are being vacc. for. THere are drs that refuse to give their own children vaccines. Do what feels right for you and let others do what feels right for them it is not a question? of smart or stupid.
Commenter Name
Andria Myers
Posted: 2/23/2013 6:21:17 PM
Hello, I brought my son to his well baby check up(physical assessment visit), the doctor is already aware from a previous visit that I am not continuing with immunizations due to reactions my son had from 2 series of Pentacel and Prevnar 13. When she told me he will be due for a booster Diptheria, pertusis, tetanus; hep b, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, booster polio, booster pneumonia, and booster hib at today's visit, I said o.k. but I am not here for vaccines, I am here for a physical only. The previous well baby visit. When I told her I was not here for vaccines, she said not even the flu shot? I said not even. She then said, then why are you here? sarcastically. Then I said sarcastically, for-a-well(meaning healthy) baby visit, a- physical. Yesterday's visit, she quickly gave me a 3-4 page form to sign. I looked just at the first paragraph of the form and scan through the other pages, which said the form was for vaccine hesitant parents who were informed of all the risks and benefits of immunization, but refuses. So I looked at the doctor and I said did you go over any of the risk, and benefits before you give me this to sign. "Which she didn't" being an RN I asked for the package inserts of all the vaccine she is recommended at this visit. She gave me 3. One for dtap,hep b,polio, one for hib another for MMR. So I said I can't possible read all of this right now and comprehend all in a short time then make an informed decision, and then sign your form. So she took one package insert from me, it was for MMR she proceeded to read the side effects, she held it infront of my face. I was seated with the baby. She read, atypical measles, fever, etc. I took my finger and traced over some of the adverse effects which included, nerve deafness, DIABETES MELLITUS (diabetes is every where in my family and my child's father family-so his risk of developing diabetes, or carry the gene for diabetes is greater), etc. Not to mention a clear warning that if there is a family history of brain disorders you should let the doctor know if there are any family history. I wonder why. As a nurse, I understand then when a pharmaceutical company say to tell the doctor of h/o liver problems, what they meant to say is a particular drug is hepatotoxic, when they ask if you have a history of kidney problems, the drug is usually nephrotoxic. So, clearly, for MMR they ask if you have any h/o brain damage because MMR can cause brain damage in some. Not to mention other side effects includes febrile and afebrile seizure/convulsions. My child is perfectly healthy, without any brain disorder at all. Why on God's earth would I risk my child to be brain damaged, even if it only happens rarely. Rarely dosen't mean that it won't and will not happen to some. No Doctor, I said No Doctor can predict who will be brain damaged and who won't! Growing up as a child I caught measles, mumps, chicken pox. Even to this day, I test positive for antibodies. Today kids are sicker, and weaker immunologically. Many are suffering from chronic immunologic allergies, autoimmune allergies, autoimmune disorders, chronic disorders: juvenile arthritis, diabetes, etc. Even shingles which usually affects the older population has become an epidemic for children. Why. Synthetic chickenpox(vaccines) anyone? Question: Do you think that doctor was being disrespectful, to push something on me to sign without explaining all risks and benefits? She didn't even explain any at all. Not until I asked for the package inserts. And another thing the previous visit, I asked her for the package inserts and she said I couldn't have them. Obviously she thought I was just another idiot who thinks doctors are a god. We are human and human as we are we are never and will never be perfect. Human as we are we make mistakes. Man invented medicine. When medicine is needed it is a life savor when it is not needed it is abuse. Man made inventions are never perfect, there is always errors and room for errors. I apologize for rambling on.

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