Connecticut: Registered Nurses Speak Out Against New Bill That Would Force Vaccinate All Health Care Workers In The State

A bill introduced by the state's Public Health Committee would require all employees of the health-care field, to receive a flu shot.

Quoting from the actual bill, Senate Bill 1128, AN ACT CONCERNING INFLUENZA IMMUNIZATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE EMPLOYEES:

"Each hospital...nursing home facility...and emergency medical service organization...shall ensure that each employee of such hosptial, nursing home facility, or emergency medical organization, who may have direct contact with a patient or resident, is immunized against influenza."

Several registered nurses submitted compelling testimony in opposition to this bill, Senate Bill 1128. Here are some excerpts of those testimonies:

• John Brady, a Registered Nurse at Backus Hospital in Norwich, submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.  Brady, who is also President of the Backus Federation of Nurses, a union representing approximately 400 registered nurses, writes about the adverse effects of vaccinations, as well as the ineffectiveness of the shots.  "As an emergency room nurse, I care for many patients who have received the flu vaccine and then tested positive for the flu."
• Mary Consoli RN, President of Danbury Nurses’ Union, representing 600 plus nurses, also gave testimony in opposition to SB 1128, quoting OSHA, which believes "there is insufficient scientific evidence for the federal government to promote mandatory influenza vaccination programs that do not have an option for the health care employees to decline for medical, religious and/or personal philosophical reasons.”  Consoli also related a personal story to the possible health risks associated with vaccinations.  "We had one RN at Danbury Hospital have a severe allergic reaction.  If it were not for the fact she was working in the Emergency Department, the consequences could have been more life threatening."  
• Jeanette Schultz, Registered Nurse, testifying in opposition to this bill, says "within 4 days of obtaining the flu shot, I noticed increased sensitivity and tingling in my hands and feet. It lasted approximately four days and then resolved. Since then I haven’t received the flu shot."  Last year, Schultz decided to choose the other option provided to her by her employer, to wear a surgical mask, however after twelve hour shifts, Schultz had complications to her throat, as a result of the mask.  
• Registered Nurse Tracey Rullo, who has gone over twenty years without ever receiving a flu shot, or being sick from the flu, spoke on the vaccines ineffectiveness.  "Many, if not, all of our patients admitted with the flu did have the flu vaccine."
• A nurse employed at Danbury Hospital, Michele Lopez, discussed how she was forced to take the flu shot, because the other option her employer provided her, to wear a surgical mask, after four weeks, caused her to have an upper airway and esophageal reaction.  After receiving the shot, Lopez said she felt "violated as a human being", and several hours later, she noticed her arm swelling, itching, and breaking out in hives.  Lopez was then admitted into the emergency room as a patient. 
• Erin Cummings, who has been a Registered Nurse for 8 years, believes this bill is a violation of his civil rights, and described his adverse reaction, after being forced vaccinated by his employer.  "Shortly after being injected, I experienced the frightening sensation of not being able to take a deep breath, and severe heart palpitations resulting in dizziness and vertigo."

To read the entire list of testimonies concerning Senate Bill 1128, click here.

Dr. Steven Aronin

One person who gave testimony in support of this bill, to force immunize nearly all health care workers in the state, was Steven I. Aronin, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Waterbury Hospital.  Aronin explained that he knows "first-hand the potentially devastating and debilitating impact that influenza and other infectious diseases can have on patients".  Aronin claims there "is abundant peer reviewed and evidence-based research supporting" the idea that forced vaccination of healthcare workers is correlated with decreased transmission and acquisition of influenza, though he did not provide any actual research, or study.

Steven Aronin boasts that Waterbury Hospital was able to administer over 2000 flu shots this year and achieve 100% compliance among clinical and non-clinical staff, though Aronin falsely credits this 100% compliance rate with the hospital "educating our employees about influenza, as well as the risk and benefits of the influenza vaccine".  Aronin must have forgot to point out the fact that these immunizations were FORCED, and there were hospital employees who protested, but were threatened with their jobs.

Also left out of his testimony, Aronin never gives any evidence indicating that the 100% FORCED compliance immunization rate in Waterbury Hospital, worked.  I know people who work at this hospital, who were involved in this debate, and they say there were several employees still sick with the flu, after being forced immunized, which again proves the ineffectiveness of the vaccination.

Another bill introduced this year in the Connecticut legislature looks to do the complete opposite of this bill.  Senate Bill 55, introduced by Senator Joe Markley, would prohibit employers from requiring employees to receive mandatory flu shots.  Let us hope that Senate Bill 55, gets more support than Senate Bill 1128.

I don't work in the medical field, however I know that I have to stick up for the rights of the people who do, because this attempt to force vaccinate everyone will continue to expand, until it is destroyed. I believe in the idea of liberty, and that includes a free-market, where a private business can set requirements for their employees, including mandatory vaccinations, and if an employee doesn't like it, they can leave and work somewhere else.  HOWEVER, hospitals, as well as public schools, receive government funding, therefore they are public entities, and cannot violate our natural inalienable rights, as a condition to our receiving services from, or working for, these organizations.

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