To not be bullied into having flu jab?

[annabanana84]

work insists we have a flu jab at their expense. So far I've avoided it but this year I feel I'm getting really bullied into getting it done. The reasons I don't want it done is that we live in a totally vegan household, no meat/fish, no wool, leather etc and no cleaning fluids or cosmetics tested on animals. I'm sure the flu jab will have been tested on animals at some point, and it will go against my morals to have it done, but work won't take no for an answer and keep mithering me to get it done. I haven't told them my reasons, but I feel I shouldn't have to justify why I don't want a needle stuck into me anyway!

WHat is your line of work?

So you don't take any medicines at all?

If you work in a profession where you come into vulnerable people, then I'm afraid I think YABU.

Of course it should be up to you, but if you get flu like I did, and end up hospitalised, like I, and kept in isolation, like I was, then you'll feel so absolutely dreadful, like I did, that you'll be grateful for whatever treatment they can give you....even if its been tested on baby pandas.

And I'm not old, or in one of the at risk groups, and it completely floored me for a couple of months. People seriously underestimate flu.

OP, what happens when you need to take medicines? Do you avoid them all?

Can I have your flu jab please? We have it at work, but the clinics aren't on the days when I work. Sod's law I'll get horrendous flu this year.

If you won't give them a reason beyond "I don't fancy it" why should they leave you alone?

Give them the courtesy of an actual answer and see what happens then. But if u are in healthcare then I think ur vbu.

I think YABU because there must be some Eason that your company insist you have it done.
Do you avoid ALL medicines? Because based on your morals, you should. There isn't a single OTC or prescription medicine out there that has not been tested on animals.

Tabby, no one should be forced to have a injection against their will, however the least you can do is give them a explanation, as to why you don't want it. A simple answer saying its against my morals is all that is needed.

Tabby??!! Supposed say yanbu

Would you say that you place the well being of animals over and above the well being of humans (including the elderly, very young, ill or otherwise vulnerable)?

I prefer Tabby!

Your body your choice. Vulnerable people will have been offered a flu jab.

Assuming you don't work in a role with vulnerable people, YANBU.

DD1 refuses to have hers as it makes her feel ill for a week.

Since non of us has had proper flu in 12 years she reckons she'll risk it.

I have to admit I am really curious about what you do re other meds. If you had a bad infection would you refuse antibiotics? (sorry being really nosey).

If you work with vulnerable people this is an entirely appropriate way to protect your clients (who may have medical reasons they can't have flu vacc). It if just because work don't want you off sick, well that's a beef to take up with HR. Your employer may say " fine but don't expect sick pay if you are off with a preventable disease and you have refuse the prevention".

Yes, you do need to tell them why. If it's required for your job, then they need to know why you won't have it beyond 'shan't'.

I also want to know what you do about other meds. I think all modern medicine is tested on animals at some point. And certainly tested on humans, but that doesn't seem to bother you, for some reason.

All the people I know that had it ended up getting the flu soon after

No, they didn't, SantaWearsGreen. There is no live flu in the flu vaccine. They may have gotten slightly ill, as some people react to it, but trust me, it wasn't the flu.

'Your body your choice. Vulnerable people will have been offered a flu jab.'

Some of them cannot. People who have very recently had a stem cell transplant, for example. Or some chemo patients.

If you work with people like this, YABU.

Yes, all medicines have to be tested on animals before they test them on humans.

And you can't get the flu from the flu vaccine. When I got the vaccine there was a really horrible cold going around. I caught it shortly after having the jab. I suspect quite a few people would have blamed the cold on the jab.

What is your job ?

I used to work in a place which offered flu vaccines to employees (it was a retail company). The company refused to pay sick pay to anyone who had time off with a cold - the rationale being that they offered the flu jab.

I did try and explain to the MD that the cold virus and the flu virus were two different things and that the flu jab could not prevent the common cold, but the policy never did get changed.

YABU.

There is no point in people being vaccinated when people like you then refuse to take it. Vaccines are as much for the benefit for people who cannot be vaccinated (those with auto immune illness etc) as they are for the wider population. How would you feel knowing you had potentially passed the flu on to someone recovering from chemotherapy? Your principles on animal testing still hold up?

Does your social conscience go beyond what you put into your mouth and apply to your bodies?

Or does it extend to the burden you place on society as a whole by getting flu, being possibly hospitalized with it, and worse, infecting others who could be more vulnerable?

Thought not.

So stop being hypocritical.

My company offers the job dependant on the person agreeing to be up to date on jabs and having certain jabs every year.

If you don't get the jab in the absence of an actual medical reason meaning you can't then you can't keep the job.

If your company is like that then yabu