Judge Blocks Mandatory Flu Shots, Temporarily
By HASANI GITTENS
Updated 1:27 PM EST, Fri, Oct 16, 2009
The fight against mandatory flu vaccines has just gotten a shot in the arm.
An Albany judge has just issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state Department of Health from mandating flu vaccinations for health care workers in New York, according to lawyers in the case.
Terry Kindlon, the lawyer representing nurses who filed a lawsuit this week, said Judge Thomas McNamara issued the order at a hearing Friday morning.
The nurses argue the policy violates their civil rights.
State Health Commissioner Richard Daines had imposed a regulation that required certain health care workers to be vaccinated by Nov. 30 or face being fired.
Kindlon says New York is the only state in the country to require "involuntary vaccinations" for health care workers.
Two unions -- the Public Employees Federation and New York State United Teachers -- are also suing to reverse the policy. PEF says it encourages its members to be vaccinated against the flu, but opposes the emergency regulation requiring the vaccine as a condition of employment.
PEF said Friday it encourages its members to be vaccinated against the flu, but opposes the emergency regulation requiring the vaccine as a condition of employment.
The union says about 5,000 of its members are covered by the emergency regulations.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC New York
First Published: Oct 16, 2009 11:35 AM EST
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
