PEFwinstemporaryrestrainingorder
formandatedvaccines,suesHealthDept.
N
ByDEBORAHA.MILES agencyhealthcarehasbeenminimal.The
PEFmadehistoryOctober16when numberofstaffandpatientsinfectedhas
JudgeThomasMcNamarainAlbany beenlow,absenteeismhasnotbeen
T
I
O
CountySupremeCourtsigneda notablyimpacted,anddemandsfor
temporaryrestrainingorderhaltingthe increasedpatientcarehavenot
state’smandatedvaccinationsofcertain materialized.However,PEFisvery
healthcareworkersfortheseasonaland concernedaboutthelackofpreparedness
’
S
T
A
H1N1fluviruses. atthestate,countyandlocallevelsinthe
Thetemporaryrestrainingorderwas eventamorevirulentformofthevirus
issuedaspartofPEF’slawsuitagainst emerges,”Dodsontestified.
NewYorkstatetonullifyandvoidthe
S
E
S
TESTIFYING—JemmaMarie-Hanson,
emergencyregulationimposedbystate
DorisDodsonandColleenHeinzetestify
R
Moreproblems
HealthCommissionerRichardDaines.
againstmandatingfluvaccinesatastate PEFRegion11CoordinatorJemma
U
Theregulationrequiredhealthcare
Assemblyhearingin Marie-Hanson,alabor-deliverynursewho
workerstobevaccinatedbyNovember30
N
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o
a
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ic
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3.
worksatDownstateMedicalCenterin
orfacepossibledisciplinaryaction,
Brooklyn,toldtheAssemblyleadersshe
includingtermination.
13,promptedbythecompulsoryflu
hasneverreceivedaflushotorhadthe
“Thisisabigstepintheright
vaccinations.
flu.
direction,”saidPEFPresidentKen
Manywerestunnedwithastatement
“Thecommissioner’smandateis
Brynien.“CommissionerDainesactedin
madebyDr.GuthrieBirkhead,deputy
causingmoreproblems,”Hansonsaid.“It
excessofhisjurisdiction.Thisregulation
commissionerofthestateHealth
iscreatingaworkenvironmentthat
isanabsoluteviolationoftheseparation
Department.
fostershostilityratherthanteamwork
ofpowersasitisanunconstitutional
“Thedeputycommissionertoldthe
andqualitypatientcare.Somepeople
exerciseoftheLegislature’sauthority.If,
headsoffourAssemblycommitteesthe
believeintakingthevaccinations,others
andonlyif,amandatewasnecessary,it
plantomandatehealthcareworkersto
don’t.Itshouldbeamatterofchoice.The
shouldhavecomefromtheLegislature,
getvaccinatedstartedtwoyearsago,”said
mandatealsoconfusesNewYorkerswhen
notanadministrator.”
PEFRegion12CoordinatorDorisDodson,
theyhearsomenursesareopposed.”
ThelawsuitnamesDaines,thestate
PEFNursesCommitteechair.
PEFmemberandStonyBrooknurse
HealthDepartment,StateHospitalReview
“TheHealthDepartmentdidn’tlikethe
ColleenHeinzesaidnurseswere
andPlanningCouncil,Gov.David
statisticthat30to40percentofhealth
concernedwithpossiblevaccineside
Paterson,andthestateofNewYorkas
careworkerswerevolunteeringforthe
effects,especiallyinthenewH1N1
defendants.
vaccines.Theyusedtheswinefluto
vaccine.“Thisissomethingwedonottake
PEFisencouragingitsmemberstobe
justifyissuingemergencyregulations,”
lightly.Wefeelourrightshavebeen
vaccinatedagainsttheflu,butisopposed
Dodsonsaid.“Whereistheemergency?
violated.”
totheemergencyregulationmandating
Thismandateisaviolationofcivil
Dodson,anRN,saidPEFnursesare
thevaccineasaconditionofemployment.
liberties.TheHealthDepartmentshould
haveinvitedunionsrepresentinghealth concernedbecausethevaccinationwas
Longtimeplan
careworkersandprofessionalhealth fast-trackedandwithoutreportsonits
sideeffectsandpossibleadverse
PEFjoinedotherlaborunionsand
organizationstothetabletoworktogether
reactions.
organizationsatajam-packedstate
toincreasevaccinationrates.”
“Nurseshavequestionsabout
AssemblyhearinginManhattanOctober
Dodsontestifiedatthehearingheldby:
AssemblyMembersRichard thimerosal,amercuryderivativeinthe
GottfriedofManhattan,Health vaccine.Wefeelthevaccinationisan
Committeechair;Catherine invasiveprocedure.Weshouldhavethe
NolanofQueens,Education righttodecideonwhatweintroduceinto
Committeechair;DeborahGlick ourownbodies.
ofManhattan,HigherEducation “Historyhasshowntakingthispolice-
Committeechair;andRory stateattitudedoesnotwork.Ourhealth
LancmanofQueens,whoheads careworkersareeducated.Youhaveto
thesubcommitteeonworkplace meetthemontheirownlevelof
safety. intelligence,”Dodsonadded.
DodsontoldtheAssembly Gottfriedsaidhesupportsthe
leadersPEFwantsthestateto mandate,butadmittedtheHealth
adopttheCentersforDisease Departmentshouldhaveincludedhealth
ControlandPrevention careworkersinthedecision-making.
recommendationssuchas PEFwasbackincourtOctober30
providinghealthcareworkers withfurtherargumentsandisexpecting
GOINGNATIONAL—JemmaMarie- withtheN-95masks,whicharemore afinaldecisioninearlyNovember.For
HansondiscussesPEF’spositiononthe protectivethansurgicalmasks. updates,visitthePEFWebsiteand
vaccinationmandateduringanappearance “PEFisconcernedaboutthecurrent InformationLine.
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.
mber2009
H1N1pandemic.Buttheimpactonstate
PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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