Swine Flu Shot Or Get Fired

Workers at Capital Region Hospitals are going to have to get "Flu Shot" this year or face losing there jobs. The requirement is part of a new emergency regulation adopted earlier this month by the State Hospital Review and Planning Council that requires all hospital workers get the flu vaccine--and it will be a requirement for your employment. Hospitals are quickly trying to assemble new workplace policies to comply with the regulations, and those that have been put in place threaten disciplinary action even termination if workers, janitors, food service workers to doctors and nurses, refuse to get the shots. The policy affects about 25,000 people in the region. Albany Medical Center, the region leading hospital, sent out announcements to workers earlier this week saying employees had to get the flu shot by Oct. 16. spokesman Gregory McGarry the hospital may take corrective action against employees if they don't apply, although he declined to get in specifics about what type penalties they would face. The hospital for the vaccine is insisting that almost 7,000 employees get the shots, even those who work at off-site building including the Fiance Center in Demlar, McGarry said even those workers spent time at the main hospital buildings for meetings. It's any who has contact with patients or providers, "McGarry said."There may be rare exceptions. There are few exceptions , "spokesman Elmer Streeter. We will be requirement all of our employees as a condition of employment. Workers will be suspended for five day initinally if they don't get the shot. After that, they have another five days to comply before facing possible termination. Public Health officials across the world are gearing up for the flu season this year with special urgency, especially the concern over the H1N1 "swine" flu virus. The new state regulation does not cover the swine flu vaccine, only the seasonal flu vaccine. The New York State Nurses association, which represents 37,000 nurses in New York State, has opposes mandatory policies, and still does, says Spokesman Mark Genovese. We think it should not be mandatory, "Genovese said."But we urge them to protect themselves."Northeast Health in Troy, the organization that owns the Albany Memorial Hospital and Samartian Hospital in Troy, is working toward new guidelines. "We are still in the process of finalizing our policy on that, said Spokesman Angela Yu. Obviously, we are trying to comply with Health Department rules. Written By Larry Rulison.