pretty good track record (although last year was a rather large exception, although thankfully, it was a pretty mild flu season anyway), so God willing, my prayer will ensure that this year they get it more right than wrong again.
..... Another flu-related issue I want to address, and this is a pet peeve of mine, is the fact that so many health care workers - it's actually the majority of health care workers in BC, according to some data - who don't get vaccinated against the flu every year, and this no-shot list includes doctors, nurses, and all other types of health professionals.
I simply don't understand that.
..... First, even if you only take a selfish point of view about flu shots, that is, how is a flu shot going to benefit MOI -, it's well worth getting an annual flu shot because studies show that annual flu vaccination lowers the risk of getting sick with the flu, especially of coming down with a severe case.
..... But even more important, it seems to me to be a moral obligation for health care workers to do everything they can do to lower the risk of harming their patients, so I think that anyone who works with sick and elderly people, who are particularly at risk of complications from the flu (pneumonia, and even death), really owes it to their patients to minimize their chances of coming down with the flu and passing it on, especially since viral infections are transmittable before symptoms set in.
..... So, hey, health care gang: as the son of a mom who had no hesitation in using guilt to get her point across - she still doesn't, in fact - I have no hesitation either in saying that if you're one of the many health care workers who doesn't get an annual flu shot, you should feel ashamed of yourself, and you should definitely change your behavior this year.
..... And hey, while you're at it, you should also write your mother more often, too..
Dr. Art Hister can be heard on CKNW and other Corus Radio Network stations on House Calls on Saturdays at 10 AM, as well as seen on Global TV news on Saturday mornings at 9:20. |
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