Nanny saying vaccines made her sick

[Anonymous]

Have you ever heard of the flu shot and DTAP vaccines making someone so sick they were hospitalized for days?

That is what our (now former) nanny is saying happened to her. We had to look for a replacement because she worked for us for just a few days and then said she was hospitalized and couldn't come to work and then didn't contact us for five days so we hired a replacement.

She is now saying it was getting the shots (we requested she get them -- but did not say it was mandatory -- it was her choice) that made her sick.

I've never heard of this happening and our newborn received the same combo shot the week before she did and was fine so I thought I'd see if any of you had this happen because I also can't find any information about an occurrence of this sort online?

[Anonymous]

No, vaccines do not make you sick. She was likely already sick before the vaccine.

I'm surprised that you can't find any info online about this. Try again. There is a ton of research that refutes this nonsense about vaccine making you sick.

Is this the nanny that asked for an advance before she started working, OP, or are you a different poster? If it is the same nanny, it sounds like you are right to replace her. She's a heap of trouble.

[Anonymous]

The only illness I can think of would be an anaphylactic reaction, which theoretically could happen with any medication. It is very, very rare.

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny this has happened to me sort of. I had an allergic reaction to tetanus when I was younger. I ended up in the hospital. With the flu shot within weeks I get a very weird throat infection. It has happened to me 3 times and it was the 3 random years I got a flu shot. I recently lost a job because I couldn't get DTAP and wouldn't get a flu shot.

[Anonymous]

I got the flu from the flu shot (or flu like symptoms) but I was just feeling ill for a couple days. It wasn't bad enough to be hospitalized (and I've never heard of that happening). Only thing is if she was allergic to something in the shot or if it was done in an unsterile environment.

[Anonymous]

I don't get the flu shot but I got a tdap booster in May and got pretty sick. You guys saying it won't make you sick are VERY uninformed and a quick check of webmd or mayo clinic would be very enlightening for you. The tdap have me headaches, nausea, diarrhea, general malaise, fatigue and the affected arm was red, swollen and hot for several days. My Dr said it was the worst reaction she'd seen. I had never had a bad reaction to a shot before and I an 39. Yes, shots can make you sick. I got my shot Thursday evening and by Friday afternoon I was feeling pretty miserable and couldn't wait fir the day to end so I could go home.

[Anonymous]

But were you hospitalized for days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But were you hospitalized for days?

serious reations are very rare but can be very serious, so I do not find it strange. if OP does not believe the nanny and there is an issue, she can ask to see the hospital papers

[nannydebsays]

OP, is the former nanny threatening legal action or filing for unemployment due to unjust firing? If not, I don't quite understand why you care what she is claiming. You fired her for not coming to work.

If you're regretting firing her and considering re-hiring her, then you need to ask her for a letter from her doctor(s) confirming that her hospital stay was due to vaccine reaction. You may also want to speak with her doctor(s), but with HIPPA I don't know how that would work.

[Anonymous]

My friend is allergic to eggs so doesn't get the flu shot because of that. I could see it.

[Anonymous]

I am one of the .01% that had a very severe reaction to the flu shot. I wasn't hospitalized but was bed ridden for months. It's not common and I know I'm in the minority but be sure that weird/unexpected things like this can happen.

[Anonymous]

I also had a very serious reaction to a vaccination (albeit when I was younger) and had to be hospitalized. It isn't common but it isn't unheard of, either. Surely she could produce some evidence of her hospital stay or a doctor's note if you requested it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also had a very serious reaction to a vaccination (albeit when I was younger) and had to be hospitalized. It isn't common but it isn't unheard of, either. Surely she could produce some evidence of her hospital stay or a doctor's note if you requested it.

PP here, and I meant to add that I agree she has grounds to claim unjust firing - or at least explore her options in that regard.

[Anonymous]

PP here, and I meant to add that I agree she has grounds to claim unjust firing - or at least explore her options in that regard.

No a nanny is an at-will employee. The OP can fire her anytime. If she doesn't show up, this can be grounds for cause regardless of why the nanny didn't show up. Its a simple bar of did she meet the job expectations, she didn't show up so clearly she didn't meet the job expectations. If there is no cause, the OP can still fire her and the only difference is that she could collect unemployment but after only being employed for a few days this isn't going to affect the OP very much. If the nanny hasn't been employed enough prior to working for the OP to meet unemployment criteria then she wouldn't get it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Is this the same nanny that asked for a pay advance before starting work?