AUGUSTA, Maine — EDITOR'S NOTE: RETRACTION
Our original story indicated Dr. Christiane Northrup is in favor of adding the flu shot to the list of required immunizations for healthcare workers in the state. However, that is not accurate.
Dr. Christiane Northrup is adamantly opposed to the Maine CDC rule change to mandate flu vaccines for healthcare workers. She says no invasive medical treatment, including vaccines, should ever be mandated. Dr. Northrup believes the basic human right to make our own decisions about what gets injected into our bodies must be upheld.
STORY
Last month, the Maine Centers for Disease Control proposed adding the flu shot to the list of required immunizations for healthcare workers in the state.
Monday morning, the state officials heard arguments from both sides surrounding the proposed rule change via Zoom.
According to the state's release, Maine already requires employees of designated health care facilities to show proof of immunization or documented immunity to several diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and hepatitis B, unless they have a medical exemption.
The proposed rule change would add influenza to this list to reduce the risk of flu among health care workers and the potential spread of flu to their patients as the state continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state argues immunization against the flu and other diseases with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 also allows health care providers to rule out those vaccine-preventable illnesses when patients experience symptoms, potentially speeding diagnosis of COVID-19.
"Immunization is the best way to ensure that health care workers, their patients, and their families are protected against the flu." DHHS Commissioner, Jeanne Lambrew said in the release.
Those who attended the hearing were given three minutes to speak.
Many spoke out against the proposal, saying they feel it was snuck in as a rule change and that healthcare workers should have the right to consent.
"We are pro-choice, we are pro-informed consent and we are pro-individual medical freedoms," Frank Mazone said. "These must be done through the legislative process and not done through a rule change, that is not the prevue of the CDC...nor is it appropriate."
Nurses who spoke added they fear this type of mandate would create an even bigger hurdle for an industry desperate to hire and retain workers right now.
Written comments can be submitted until December 3.