When flu vaccination became compulsory on 1 May for anybody entering a residential aged care facility, the online backlash from resident family members and aged care employees was both surprising and disturbing.
In response to the growing chorus of anti-flu vaccination sentiment, HelloCare surveyed over 1,700 members of our online Aged Care Workers Support Group and were shocked to find that nearly one in five workers were still opposed to flu vaccination.
While there were many who revealed that they would receive the vaccination in order to comply with new regulations, others stood defiantly proclaiming that they would not be ‘blackmailed’ into injecting ‘poison’.
In recent weeks, stances against flu vaccination in aged care have evolved beyond the keyboard as a growing number of family members and aged care employees have encountered real-life consequences for applying their views in the real world.
Recently, health and wellness coach Lisa Wiedrich made headlines in Queensland after it was reported that she decided to take her mother out of aged care and move her into a granny flat as a result of not wanting to be vaccinated in order to visit her mum.
Although Ms Wiedrich does not consider herself ‘anti-vaccination’, she claims to have worked in the pharmaceutical industry in the past and cites becoming ill as a result of previous flu vaccination as one of her personal deterrents.
Aged care employees have also decided to take a stand against mandatory vaccination with registered nurse Anki Groening becoming one of a small number of aged care employees who have decided to walk away from their job altogether.
Recently, there have been claims that an aged care worker from NSW has won a court case against mandatory flu vaccination and is now receiving full pay while not going to work.
Attempts to verify this claim are ongoing and HelloCare has reached out to the alleged law firm involved in the case but is yet to receive a reply.
However, if these claims are found to be correct, this decision would have the potential to set a dangerous legal precedent for providers who are simply attempting to comply with government regulation.
President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), Tony Bartone, has urged the Australian federal government to embark upon a strong pro-vaccine information campaign to combat growing anti-vaccine trends.
Mr Bartone was also highly critical of entertainment outlets that allow celebrities to promote their anti-vaxxer beliefs without being challenged by the realities of science.
These calls come only 24-hours after controversial celebrity chef Pete Evans’ appeared on Kyle and Jackie O’s popular Monday morning radio show and spoke out against vaccination.
“Anyone who speaks against the science of vaccination needs to expect to be slapped down by scientific sources,” said Mr Bartone.
“Anyone who gives a platform to anti-vaxxer messages should similarly expect to be also held to a similar account.”
While celebrities of yesteryear were well known for their ability to shape trends relating to style, the influence of celebrity in 2020 goes far beyond what is being played out on television, radio, or the sporting field.
Social media has given the public a window into the real-life views of their favourite celebrities, and the intimacy of this process creates a perceived level of trust which allows them to wield considerable influence over their adoring fans.
Unfortunately, celebrities can actually face backlash for failing to weigh-in with their opinion on socially-relevant topics that they have no expertise in, while other stars are more than happy to present their uneducated opinions as fact.
Over the years, there have been countless well-known figures who have spoken out against vaccination.
This list includes names like Rober DeNiro and pre-presidential Donald Trump who made bold claims that vaccinations are linked to autism.
Warnings from the Australian Medical Association regarding vaccine misinformation come after it was revealed that senior government officials have been flooded with correspondence from people who are opposed to vaccination.
This worrying trend has also increased fears that new waves of scepticism have the ability to undo decades of immunisation progress in Australia.
“The important message is that everyone, from governments right down to all health authorities, has a role to ensure the appropriate funding and the appropriate resources are available so that people can differentiate the good from the bad and the downright deadly,” said Mr Bartone.
Clearly, there needs to be significant resources put into the community about the importance of public information, the importance of public health education right from the earliest years.”
Photo Credit – iStock – Khosrork
If the education is going to be pro-vaccination, then that isn’t education. It is an opinion, biased towards the pharmaceutical and medical belief that one cannot be healthy without medical intervention.
Agreed Jaqueline. It is also a well known fact that Pharmaceutical and medical are also enticed to promote as they get monetary kick backs. How about educating more on health and nutrition rather than medicating our bodies?!
I agree i am so against injections but this year i had to have one or i was not allowed in nursing home to see my Husband. If you keep healthly and proper nutrition there’s no need for all these injections.
Those of my generation who remember kids disappearing from school never to be seen again, other luckier ones returning clanking around the school yard in callipers, would have a more positive view of protective medicine.
Do you really want to return to those pre-science times when most families had an under-five in the graveyard?
Couldn’t agree more. Infection control measures are the reason that Covid-19 is reducing, not a vaccine as there isn’t one. The reason the numbers of flu are reduced this year as opposed to previous years is due to the infection control measures, not the flu vaccination (plenty of Cochrane reviews found to back this up). Excluding staff and visitors on the basis of a flu vaccination is discrimination, as we live in a democratic country. Professor Del Mar and professor (of micro-biology) Collignon are Australian experts who have well-researched this topic and come up with overwhelming evidence o speak out against vaccinating healthy people and children.
Joanna Briggs Institute states: A Cochrane systematic review was conducted to assessing the effects of vaccinating healthcare workers on the incidence of laboratory-proven influenza, pneumonia, death from pneumonia and admission to hospital for respiratory illness in those aged 60 years or older resident in long-term care institutions (LTCIs). The authors reported that vaccinating healthcare workers who look after the elderly in long-term care facilities did not show any effect on the specific outcomes.
Other interventions such as hand washing, masks, nasal swabs, antivirals, quarantine, restricting visitors and asking healthcare workers with an influenza-like illness to to attend work might protect individuals over 60 in long-term care facilities. (Level 1)
Sorry Jaqueline, this is not “opinion” it is scientific fact. Vaccines save lives. And this is not about how ONE can remain healthy, it is about keeping communities safe – protecting those who are vulnerable to harm from vaccine-preventable diseases.
After all the weeks of lockdown i went to see my husband it was pityful to see how he had changed i hardly could understand him in what he was saying.. He always dressed well but not anymore his shirt was done up wrong his jacket was dirty. I have a mind to take him out.
I understand the concerns of those for and against vaccination. I work in the industry and had previously sustained a notable reaction to an influenza vaccination. I had not had it for 6 years. In order to keep working now, I went through the process of having to consult an Immunologist and taking a regime of drugs so I would not react to the vaccination. I have had it, and I am fine. I did it because there is a chance it may help others, notably my colleagues and residents. The point of the process is reducing the risk to a vulnerable group of people who are our community. In our facilities the majority of residents are offered and accept the vaccination for the same reasons. Should we do any less?