Senate Health Committee to vote on Health Care Flu Vaccine Bill on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013

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This bill is “an act concerning influenza vaccination of certain health care workers.” in NJ.

S1464  http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/S1500/1464_I1.PDF   is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Health Committee Monday, February, 4, 2013. 

This bill will require health care facilities to “offer” influenza vaccine to health care workers and “track” those who have received the vaccine and those who refuse the vaccine.  Each facility is required to provide an educational component and set goals for improving vaccination rates among workers.

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  • This bill is a waste of health care dollars – This is redundant and not needed.
  • Health Care workers in NJ are well aware of the CDC vaccine recommendations.  They already have access to the flu vaccine and can determine if the flu shot is right for them.  They should not be pressured and coerced into getting one.
  • Independent Researchers have shown the flu vaccine to be ineffective (Cochrane review 2011 http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab005187.html)
  • The bill language mandates following the federal ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) recommendations, which can change and could result in more frequent and/or other adult vaccine co-mandates.

Please call, email, and fax, the members of the Senate Health Committee listed below and ask them to VOTE NO on S1464  (Call this week, they Vote on Monday, February 4, 2013)

Joseph Vitale senvitale@njleg.org 732-855-7441/ fax (732) 855-7558  Chair (Bill’s Sponsor)

Fred Madden senmadden@njleg.org 856-232-6700 /fax (856) 232-6844 Vice Chair

Dawn Marie Addiego senaddiego@njleg.org 609-654-1498/fax (609) 654-4791

Diane Allen senallen@njleg.org 609-239-2800 / fax 609-239-2673

Robert Gordon sengordon@njleg.org 201-703-9779 / fax (201) 703-8127

Ronald Rice senrice@njleg.org 973-371-5665  /fax (973) 371-6738

Robert Singer sensinger@njleg.org 732-901-0702 / fax 732-901-0587

Jim Whelan senwhelan@njleg.org 609-383-1388   /fax (609) 383-1497

Barbara Buono  senbuono@njleg.org 732-205-1372/fax 732-205-1375

Samuel Thompson senthompson@njleg.org  732-607-7580 /fax 732-607-7879