*UPDATE! 9/8/11 – This morning Vitale’s office said this bill S2984 is not going to be voted on today. It is off the schedule. She didn’t know when it would be back on.
(Please pass along to friends and family, especially those in the health care field)
S2984 is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Health Committee this Thursday, September 8, 2011.
This bill is an act concerning influenza vaccination of certain health care workers.
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. This opens the door for vaccine mandates for adults. Records will be maintained regarding who has received this vaccine and who has declined it.
- This bill is a waste of health care dollars – NJ can’t afford this cost.
- 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.
- 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)
Please call, email, and fax, the members of the Senate Health Committee listed below and ask them to VOTE NO on S2984 (Call Today and Tomorrow, they Vote on Thursday, September 8th)
Loretta Weinberg senweinberg@njleg.org 201-928-0100 / fax 201-928-0406
Joseph Vitale senvitale@njleg.org 732-855-7441
Dawn Marie Addiego senaddiego@njleg.org 609-654-1498
Diane Allen senallen@njleg.org 609-239-2800 / fax 609-239-2673
Robert Gordon sengordon@njleg.org 201-703-9779
Sean Kean senskean@njleg.org 732-974-0400 / fax 732-974-2564
Fred Madden senmadden@njleg.org 856-232-6700
Ronald Rice senrice@njleg.org 973-371-5665
Robert Singer sensinger@njleg.org 732-901-0702 / fax 732-901-0587
Jim Whelan senwhelan@njleg.org 609-383-1388