Re: "Nurses question new flu vaccination rules," Aug. 25.
I don't know what the science is about the efficacy of flu inoculations and wearing masks. I do know that in the 1918 flu pandemic, the main victims were healthy young adults, quite the opposite of most flu victims these days.
What I find most odd in this story is the small percentage of health-care workers (apparently a frighteningly low 38 per cent at the Vancouver Island Health Authority) who take advantage of flu shots.
Either most of the 62 per cent who decline know something or suspect something is amiss, or there are other factors at play, such as union-management tensions which infect many work places. I have to think that most of the 62 per cent just don't want to set a good example, preferring to listen to their own health drummer and generally have little faith in the public health system. It's sort of like public school system employees sending their kids to private school.
As for solutions, the article suggests that VIHA has offered plenty of education to not much avail. We simple souls mostly don't even need to take instruction on the relative benefits of flu shots. We just go along, take the needle and trust that we stand a reasonable 80 per cent chance of not getting too sick. Anything to avoid wearing those silly masks.
However, I envision a scenario where we all are required to wear face masks in public. I can hardly wait.
Bill Engleson
Denman Island
