Nanny refuses to get flu shot?

[Anonymous]

Mom here - OP I hope your new replacement nanny doesn't say she already had the flu shots in her interview. I think I would wonder if she was lying or not for the whole winter.

It seems like a bad idea to me to replace a nanny who you seem to like and who seems good with your child for an unknown. The next caretaker could be a worse fit for your family, and all over a flu shot. But hopefully you will find someone great if you go that route.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll repeat what I posted before:

The parent that asks a nanny for immunization is doing the nanny a favor. Immunization is for one's own protection. If the nanny is vaccinated she still can carry the disease and pass it to the newborn not vaccinated. The same way parents will carry the disease home and not get sick if they're vaccinated too.

And the flu shot won't protect anybody from getting the virus. You still get the virus, you pass it but your symptoms will be milder.

If you want your child protected, keep it in a bubble.

Could you please provide sources for this information - this is different from what I have found in my own research, and I would be interested to see the article you took this from. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that if a person is vaccinated successfully so that they are immune to the virus, then the virus will not be able to replicate within their body and make it into their mucous as they cough/sneeze. However, if a vaccinated individual touches a doorknob that has the virus on it, then shakes hands with someone else, they can pass the virus along. So the only way a vaccinated person could be passing the virus along is if they come in physical contact with a surface containing the virus, and then, before the virus dies, comes in contact with someone else. So while it is still possible for a vaccinated person to pass on the flu, it does seem that the chances are greatly reduced since they will not be carrying it around in their respiratory system. I am not a doctor, so if someone can point me to a reliable source saying this is wrong, I am open to see it.

[Anonymous]

I am very sensitive to vaccines and get very sick after having them. Something in the Thermisol or other preservatives in vaccines cause an autoimmune response in my body and I am sick for months. I avoid vaccines when I can at all costs.

Maybe she is DEATHLY afraid of needles and doesn't want to tell you that.

But your DC can be exposed to flu anywhere so stop being ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I would ask her for her reasons for not agreeing to be vaccinated. I would not trust nor feel comfortable with a nanny who refused a vaccination for any reasons beyond a documented allergy. Its just a sign that her judgement is not good and worse that she doesn't care very much about the baby. As this would be a long term issue replacing her would be a good thing.

[Anonymous]

I'll be blunt if you refuse a flu shot while working with an infant who is too young to be vaccinated you deserve to lose your job. You are either a fruitcake or so self absorbed that you will create any excuse to rationalize this no matter how ridiculous and counter to all the medical science and research out there your ideas may be.

Even if you believe any of this nonsense, you are crazy to think that a mother is going to give more credibility to her nanny's interpretation of preventative health precautions than her doctor's opinion or that of the CDC and AMA. For the nannies who think an infant contracting the flu is no big deal, exactly how much time did spend in your pediatric residency or how much time have you spent in a PICU or NICU? How many infants have you hooked up to a vent? How often have you dealt with febrile seizure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very sensitive to vaccines and get very sick after having them. Something in the Thermisol or other preservatives in vaccines cause an autoimmune response in my body and I am sick for months. I avoid vaccines when I can at all costs.

Maybe she is DEATHLY afraid of needles and doesn't want to tell you that.

But your DC can be exposed to flu anywhere so stop being ridiculous.

There are thimerasol (the preservative) free vaccines - CVS has them. For those afraid of needles, FluMist may be an option (it also is thimerasol free), but there are limitations on who can get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very sensitive to vaccines and get very sick after having them. Something in the Thermisol or other preservatives in vaccines cause an autoimmune response in my body and I am sick for months. I avoid vaccines when I can at all costs.

Maybe she is DEATHLY afraid of needles and doesn't want to tell you that.

But your DC can be exposed to flu anywhere so stop being ridiculous.

You can get thermisol free vaccines. And she is not being ridiculous - for years the CDC, AAP, AMA, and other experts have recommended that people who take care of young children should be vaccinated. It is not like she pulled this out of her ass - it is an expert recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll be blunt if you refuse a flu shot while working with an infant who is too young to be vaccinated you deserve to lose your job. You are either a fruitcake or so self absorbed that you will create any excuse to rationalize this no matter how ridiculous and counter to all the medical science and research out there your ideas may be.

Even if you believe any of this nonsense, you are crazy to think that a mother is going to give more credibility to her nanny's interpretation of preventative health precautions than her doctor's opinion or that of the CDC and AMA. For the nannies who think an infant contracting the flu is no big deal, exactly how much time did spend in your pediatric residency or how much time have you spent in a PICU or NICU? How many infants have you hooked up to a vent? How often have you dealt with febrile seizure?

One of these days karma is gong to bite you in the ass an someone close to you will have a bad reaction to a shot. THEN maybe you'll understand that your experience is not the same as everyone elses. That some people truly DO react badly to shots.

I took care of a little boy once who nearly died after the chicken pox vaccine. He had a very very bad reaction to it and was in the hospital for awhile. So when he grows up, is he automatically a liar for saying that he was only selectively vaccinated after that due to health reasons? Should he never be able to work as a pediatrician or with other high risk populations? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll be blunt if you refuse a flu shot while working with an infant who is too young to be vaccinated you deserve to lose your job. You are either a fruitcake or so self absorbed that you will create any excuse to rationalize this no matter how ridiculous and counter to all the medical science and research out there your ideas may be.

Even if you believe any of this nonsense, you are crazy to think that a mother is going to give more credibility to her nanny's interpretation of preventative health precautions than her doctor's opinion or that of the CDC and AMA. For the nannies who think an infant contracting the flu is no big deal, exactly how much time did spend in your pediatric residency or how much time have you spent in a PICU or NICU? How many infants have you hooked up to a vent? How often have you dealt with febrile seizure?

One of these days karma is gong to bite you in the ass an someone close to you will have a bad reaction to a shot. THEN maybe you'll understand that your experience is not the same as everyone elses. That some people truly DO react badly to shots.

I took care of a little boy once who nearly died after the chicken pox vaccine. He had a very very bad reaction to it and was in the hospital for awhile. So when he grows up, is he automatically a liar for saying that he was only selectively vaccinated after that due to health reasons? Should he never be able to work as a pediatrician or with other high risk populations? I don't think so.

That's exactly what it means, genius! Doctors have to have certain vaccinations to work in a high risk medical field like Pediatrics -- HepA, HepB, DtaP, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll be blunt if you refuse a flu shot while working with an infant who is too young to be vaccinated you deserve to lose your job. You are either a fruitcake or so self absorbed that you will create any excuse to rationalize this no matter how ridiculous and counter to all the medical science and research out there your ideas may be.

Even if you believe any of this nonsense, you are crazy to think that a mother is going to give more credibility to her nanny's interpretation of preventative health precautions than her doctor's opinion or that of the CDC and AMA. For the nannies who think an infant contracting the flu is no big deal, exactly how much time did spend in your pediatric residency or how much time have you spent in a PICU or NICU? How many infants have you hooked up to a vent? How often have you dealt with febrile seizure?

One of these days karma is gong to bite you in the ass an someone close to you will have a bad reaction to a shot. THEN maybe you'll understand that your experience is not the same as everyone elses. That some people truly DO react badly to shots.

I took care of a little boy once who nearly died after the chicken pox vaccine. He had a very very bad reaction to it and was in the hospital for awhile. So when he grows up, is he automatically a liar for saying that he was only selectively vaccinated after that due to health reasons? Should he never be able to work as a pediatrician or with other high risk populations? I don't think so.

That's exactly what it means, genius! Doctors have to have certain vaccinations to work in a high risk medical field like Pediatrics -- HepA, HepB, DtaP, etc.

I've never looked into the LEGAL requirements for doctors and for any exemptions they can use (they can be used everywhere else that I've ever seen require immunizations.) But he absolutely could work with infants in a daycare center, etc if he chose (That I know for fact.) so the correct answer is no. He would not be kept from working with high risk populations if it was his desire.

What you WANT to be true, and what actually IS true are not the same, honey.

[Anonymous]

PP here:

And just to make you feel better...a quote from the Washington post recently.

"Only about half of health-care workers get flu shots during a typical flu season, even though their patients tend to be more vulnerable to infection and potentially life-threatening complications."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here:

And just to make you feel better...a quote from the Washington post recently.

"Only about half of health-care workers get flu shots during a typical flu season, even though their patients tend to be more vulnerable to infection and potentially life-threatening complications."

Hospital and employers in general can require anything they want from their employees.

For example, New York is the first state in the country to mandate flu vaccinations for its health care workers.

No vaccine = no job ... no excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here:

And just to make you feel better...a quote from the Washington post recently.

"Only about half of health-care workers get flu shots during a typical flu season, even though their patients tend to be more vulnerable to infection and potentially life-threatening complications."

Hospital and employers in general can require anything they want from their employees.

For example, New York is the first state in the country to mandate flu vaccinations for its health care workers.

No vaccine = no job ... no excuses.

Not so. Sorry.

Also from the same article: "MedStar, the state of New York, HCA and other entities requiring vaccination are allowing exemptions for employees who have medical reasons for not getting vaccinated, such as egg allergies or risk factors for a rare complication known as Guilliame-Barre syndrome. MedStar and HCA and others also allow workers with religious objections to be exempted."

[Anonymous]

In an attempt to bring this thread back to something useful for OP: I have been reading this with interest b/c when I first asked our nanny to infant DS (6MO, so he can and did get vaccinated, but it is still recommended that she get one) about the flu shot, she said she got it once and it made her sick, so she wasn't going to get one.

Last week she asked for time off for a dr's appt (she has PTO for these purposes), and I asked her to ask her doc about the flu shot. I told her that while I cant and wont insist that she get the shot, I would really like it if she did (and would pay for it and give her time to go get it) unless her doc thought it was a bad idea given her history. Well, lo and behold, her doctor convinced her that this is shaping up to be a bad flu year and she should get the shot.

Lucky for me that she had the doctors' appointment, and I'm definitely not recommending anyone request a doctors' note or whatever, but if you have a reasonable nanny with reasonable concerns about the shot, and you simply ask her to talk to her doctor about it, you may end up in the right place.