No vaccine, no mask? No job

Healthcare providers fired over flu vaccine mandate

ABC is reporting the firing of eight hospital Indiana hospital employees, three of them nurses, for failure to comply with influenza vaccination program. USA Today is running a story about a registered nurse who has been fired for not wearing a mask after declining flu vaccine. These reports indicate a growing trend in healthcare: comply with flu vaccine mandates or risk loosing your job.

Mandate the shot or not? We may have an answer to that question.
There are indications that mandated participation in flu vaccine programs have become normal. Notice the term flu vaccination program, meaning that there is more than just vaccine involved. Flu programs typically give the healthcare employee a choice to be vaccinated or, decline the vaccine and wear a mask while at work. Having reviewed a number of policies, we've noticed a growing number of healthcare agencies (including non-hospital facilities) have begun to require "participation" in a flu program. The meaning of the word "participation" changes frequently between facilities and can indicate a vaccine requirement, receipt of vaccine or signed declination, or vaccine/decline and wear a mask.

As noted in the USA Today piece, some healthcare providers feel stigmatized by being requiered to wear a mask. Some may consider their privacy has been eroded as they feel compelled to explain why they have to wear a mask.