Disney to provide Cast Members with free MMR vaccines

[unkadug]

I had the MMR vaccine, not measles the disease. I have asthma, so if I had the disease, I'd be dead.

I'm opposed to requiring vaccines when there may be a valid medical reason behind not getting one. I agree that everyone who can get vaccines should get one. But I think that the few who cannot get vaccinated because the vaccine is more dangerous to them than the disease should still be allowed to keep their jobs. Reassign them to a place where they will have less contact with the public if you are that worried.

Those who cannot get a vaccine have no reason nor right to be working in the public service industry.

They are risking their own health as well as the health of others for selfish reasons. They need to find new employment.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Do you actually think that Disney is going to take an untrained onstage CM and transfer them to a backstage role that requires training just to accommodate a few CM who feel like that are immune from communicable diseases?

It would be better than getting sued because they terminated an employee who couldn't get a vaccination for a medical reason.

 

[unkadug]

It would be better than getting sued because they terminated an employee who couldn't get a vaccination for a medical reason.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

That lawsuit would be thrown out of court so dam fast.

 

[LAKid53]

I had the MMR vaccine, not measles the disease. I have asthma, so if I had the disease, I'd be dead.

I'm opposed to requiring vaccines when there may be a valid medical reason behind not getting one. I agree that everyone who can get vaccines should get one. But I think that the few who cannot get vaccinated because the vaccine is more dangerous to them than the disease should still be allowed to keep their jobs. Reassign them to a place where they will have less contact with the public if you are that worried.

Sorry, missed that. Glad that you are protected.

Look, if you work in the cesspool of humanity that is Disney, perhaps you should stop and think about contact with people from countries that have little or no vaccination systems if your health would be serious compromised being infected with highly contagious diseases like measles.

People in the U.S. are so litigious. I can envision a CM declining the vaccine, for whatever reason, being assigned to backstage work and coming down with the measles. And saying, "you assured me if I worked in the warehouse on the parade floats, I wouldn't have to worry!". And there's the lawsuit. Backstage CMs are in contact with onstage CMs in the utilidors. Confining those CMs who won't get the vaccination to backstage work won't protect them. Ask an epidemiologist. The only way to protect their health is to make them stay home if there is an outbreak at WDW. Which is what my university did. "Show proof of vaccination, get a vaccination, be born before 1958 or STAY AWAY!"

 

[unkadug]

Sorry, missed that. Glad that you are protected.

Look, if you work in the cesspool of humanity that is Disney, perhaps you should stop and think about contact with people from countries that have little or no vaccination systems if your health would be serious compromised being infected with highly contagious diseases like measles.

People in the U.S. are so litigious. I can envision a CM declining the vaccine, for whatever reason, being assigned to backstage work and coming down with the measles. And saying, "you assured me if I worked in the warehouse on the parade floats, I wouldn't have to worry!". And there's the lawsuit. Backstage CMs are in contact with onstage CMs in the utilidors. Confining those CMs who won't get the vaccination to backstage work won't protect them. Ask an epidemiologist. The only way to protect their health is to make them stay home if there is an outbreak at WDW. Which is what my university did. "Show proof of vaccination, get a vaccination, be born before 1958 or STAY AWAY!"

Just out of curiosity, what did being born before 1958 have to do with immunity?

 

[LAKid53]

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

That lawsuit would be thrown out of court so dam fast.

Yeah, the courts don't look highly on those individuals who put the public's health at risk...

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Just out of curiosity, what did being born before 1958 have to do with immunity?

They think that if you were born before 1958, you were exposed to the disease and would already have immunity.

EDIT: From the CDC: Measles, a highly contagious acute viral disease, can result in serious complications and death. As a result of a successful U.S. vaccination program, measles elimination (i.e., interruption of endemic measles transmission) was declared in the United States in 2000 (1). The number of reported measles cases has declined from 763,094 in 1958 to fewer than 150 cases reported per year since 1997

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5718a5.htm

 

[LAKid53]

Just out of curiosity, what did being born before 1958 have to do with immunity?

Because it was assumed after consultation with infectious disease experts that anyone born before 1958 probably had measles as a child. Just like you can be pretty sure that most boomers no longer have tonsils.

 

[LAKid53]

They think that if you were born before 1958, you were exposed to the disease and would already have immunity.

EDIT: From the CDC: Measles, a highly contagious acute viral disease, can result in serious complications and death. As a result of a successful U.S. vaccination program, measles elimination (i.e., interruption of endemic measles transmission) was declared in the United States in 2000 (1). The number of reported measles cases has declined from 763,094 in 1958 to fewer than 150 cases reported per year since 1997

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5718a5.htm[URL='http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5718a5.htm[/QUOTE'][/QUOTE[/URL]]

And my alma mater added 30-40 of those annual cases in 1986. Wow, we were responsible for about 25% of the cases of measles?!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Look, if you work in the cesspool of humanity that is Disney, perhaps you should stop and think about contact with people from countries that have little or no vaccination systems if your health would be serious compromised being infected with highly contagious diseases like measles.

I don't. I'd like to do the CP next year. We'll see.

Personally, yes, I have asthma. But there are a lot of other things that could trigger my asthma and kill me. Heck, they called 911 from school on me because someone sprayed perfume in one of my classes last week and I stopped breathing. For me, risks are everywhere. It's scary, but I can't let it stop me from living life, though. Something like the flu could also kill me. But I can't live in a bubble. I still spend about a month in WDW per year.

 

[The Mom]

Because it was assumed after consultation with infectious disease experts that anyone born before 1958 probably had measles as a child. Just like you can be pretty sure that most boomers no longer have tonsils.

I still have my tonsils.

But measles, mumps, & rubella were so widespread in the 50s that most people were exposed to them, so acquired natural immunity, whether they had symptoms or not.

 

[lobelia]

The willingness to vaccinate is related to the deadliness of the disease. It's been quite awhile since we have had rampant disease with high rates of death or long term damage. So people got lackadaisical. If there was a vaccine for Ebola and a woman sick with Ebola took a plane to your town, would there be any anti vaxers left?

 

[LAKid53]

I still have my tonsils.

But measles, mumps, & rubella were so widespread in the 50s that most people were exposed to them, so acquired natural immunity, whether they had symptoms or not.

You are one of the fortunate. Both my brothers and I lost ours within six months of each other - my poor parents. My older brother and I had ours out the same day. Imagine spending two days in the hospital in a children's ward with the brother that tortured you on a regular basis. Not fun. But I got to eat all the chocolate ice cream I wanted.

 

[LAKid53]

The willingness to vaccinate is related to the deadliness of the disease. It's been quite awhile since we have had rampant disease with high rates of death or long term damage. So people got lackadaisical. If there was a vaccine for Ebola and a woman sick with Ebola took a plane to your town, would there be any anti vaxers left?

Nope. And they'd be demanding the individual be quarantined. Or expelled.

 

[LAKid53]

I don't. I'd like to do the CP next year. We'll see.

Personally, yes, I have asthma. But there are a lot of other things that could trigger my asthma and kill me. Heck, they called 911 from school on me because someone sprayed perfume in one of my classes last week and I stopped breathing. For me, risks are everywhere. It's scary, but I can't let it stop me from living life, though. Something like the flu could also kill me. But I can't live in a bubble. I still spend about a month in WDW per year.

Are you able to get the flu shot, because you sound like you'd be in the population at risk.

Just like my brother. He's had respiratory issues since he was a baby. All related to, as it was discovered, severe allergies to mold, mildew, pen dander, dust mites, etc., etc., and wool. And bee stings, which my mom discovered the hard way the one and only time he was stung. His allergy to mold/mildew is so severe, I had to clean out the toilet in my parents' house once because he couldn't. Or he didn't want to.....

So his home has no fabric furnishings - wood floors, metal blinds, leather couches, etc. He is so allergic to cigarette smoke he can tell by his reaction if anyone has ever smoked in a room. My mother made the comment once that he would never be drafted into the military because the inside of his lungs must look like rail road tracks with all the scarring. He was so sick with bronchitis once that the doctor was going to hospitalize him. So I understand your situation.

Still, measles, unlike asthma, are preventable with a vaccination. Which you fortunately have received. Therefore, an outbreak, while not preventable unless part of the bag check at the parks includes a shot, can be minimized at Disney if a large segment of the population is immunized. Given the 90% rate of infection if exposed the CDC states, I'd would make darn sure I got immunized if my parents hadn't when I was a child. Unless the shot would pose serious health risks. Then I might reconsider employment at a site like Disney.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Are you able to get the flu shot, because you sound like you'd be in the population at risk.

That is the only vaccination I can get without a skin test. I usually get one shot as soon as possible and then a booster in January. They make me wait 30 minutes after vaccination just in case. I had the flu two years ago before I could get the shot and ended up really sick, which is now why I get it twice a season. I'm a bit concerned this year because the vaccine was only about 30% effective, but so far, haven't gotten the flu.

Just like my brother. He's had respiratory issues since he was a baby. All related to, as it was discovered, severe allergies to mold, mildew, pen dander, dust mites, etc., etc., and wool. And bee stings, which my mom discovered the hard way the one and only time he was stung. His allergy to mold/mildew is so severe, I had to clean out the toilet in my parents' house once because he couldn't. Or he didn't want to.....

So his home has no fabric furnishings - wood floors, metal blinds, leather couches, etc. He is so allergic to cigarette smoke he can tell by his reaction if anyone has ever smoked in a room. My mother made the comment once that he would never be drafted into the military because the inside of his lungs must look like rail road tracks with all the scarring. He was so sick with bronchitis once that the doctor was going to hospitalize him. So I understand your situation.

He actually sounds worse than me. I developed asthma when I was in elementary school. It started out fine, but got progressively worse. I had bronchitis and at one point pneumonia after the diagnosis in elementary school. I got really bad in middle school and was hospitalized at one point with my asthma. I got the allergy shots after testing allergic to so many things and had to have one shot in each arm because of all of the allergies. In middle school, I developed food allergies which then got worse in high school and are still bad now. I understand the mold/mildew allergy because I am just as bad. But the shots toned down a lot of my other allergies so I don't have the same problems that your brother does with not being allowed to have fabric in the room, though I'm as bad as he is with the cigarette smoke. And I was never allergic to pet dander. Now that I'm in college, I have severe but well-controlled asthma that my doctor thinks is getting better. I take two controllers daily, and I keep oral steroids on hand. I also have a portable nebulizer that I keep with me, as well as an inhaler and epi pen. My worst problem is the perfume/cologne. Nebulizer didn't work last week, and that's when the school called 911. I know where all the perfume shops are in WDW and avoid them. I also avoid smoking areas. But doctor said yesterday that I'm a lot better than I used to be, so I'm hoping that in my 20s I'll start leveling off a bit.

I try not to let it stop me, though. There is some stuff that I won't do. Visit a country without good hospitals, for one. Trek into the middle of the woods with no electricity and no cell phone signal and no nearby hospitals. But overall, I try to control my asthma, not let my asthma control me.

I've had all of my vaccines minus the varicela booster, which my doctor exempted me for when I went to college. After I went into anaphylaxis, he said no more vaccines for a while, flu shot only. I cannot get Tdap or menigicocal again. I don't think I need another meningicocal, though. So Tdap is basically the one I have to worry about. Any others that I might need I have to get skin tested for.

 

[Matt_Black]

Those who cannot get a vaccine have no reason nor right to be working in the public service industry.

They are risking their own health as well as the health of others for selfish reasons. They need to find new employment.

I'd think that forbidding employment on grounds like that would very much run afoul of various employment laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

[LAKid53]

I'd think that forbidding employment on grounds like that would very much run afoul of various employment laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Only if the reason was related to a disability recognized under the ADA. Refusing to get a vaccination that is important for public health could trump other laws. State health departments have the authority to quarantine and in the case of an outbreak of an epidemic, probably also mandate vaccinations that would prevent the spread of said epidemic.

An employer can deny employment if a candidate refuses to take a drug test.

 

[LAKid53]

That is the only vaccination I can get without a skin test. I usually get one shot as soon as possible and then a booster in January. They make me wait 30 minutes after vaccination just in case. I had the flu two years ago before I could get the shot and ended up really sick, which is now why I get it twice a season. I'm a bit concerned this year because the vaccine was only about 30% effective, but so far, haven't gotten the flu.


He actually sounds worse than me. I developed asthma when I was in elementary school. It started out fine, but got progressively worse. I had bronchitis and at one point pneumonia after the diagnosis in elementary school. I got really bad in middle school and was hospitalized at one point with my asthma. I got the allergy shots after testing allergic to so many things and had to have one shot in each arm because of all of the allergies. In middle school, I developed food allergies which then got worse in high school and are still bad now. I understand the mold/mildew allergy because I am just as bad. But the shots toned down a lot of my other allergies so I don't have the same problems that your brother does with not being allowed to have fabric in the room, though I'm as bad as he is with the cigarette smoke. And I was never allergic to pet dander. Now that I'm in college, I have severe but well-controlled asthma that my doctor thinks is getting better. I take two controllers daily, and I keep oral steroids on hand. I also have a portable nebulizer that I keep with me, as well as an inhaler and epi pen. My worst problem is the perfume/cologne. Nebulizer didn't work last week, and that's when the school called 911. I know where all the perfume shops are in WDW and avoid them. I also avoid smoking areas. But doctor said yesterday that I'm a lot better than I used to be, so I'm hoping that in my 20s I'll start leveling off a bit.

I try not to let it stop me, though. There is some stuff that I won't do. Visit a country without good hospitals, for one. Trek into the middle of the woods with no electricity and no cell phone signal and no nearby hospitals. But overall, I try to control my asthma, not let my asthma control me.

I've had all of my vaccines minus the varicela booster, which my doctor exempted me for when I went to college. After I went into anaphylaxis, he said no more vaccines for a while, flu shot only. I cannot get Tdap or menigicocal again. I don't think I need another meningicocal, though. So Tdap is basically the one I have to worry about. Any others that I might need I have to get skin tested for.

Forgot to mention that he too, like you, has developed food allergies. Not as severe as the others, but certainly has forced changes in his diet. Hopefully, the food allergies won't become as severe as our grandfather's - the probably DNA source of his allergies. My dad's side of the family (and I must get most of my genes from his side, lol) has no allergies. They just die from heart attacks by the age of 70.

 

[LAKid53]

If you and your family are vaccinated then who cares??? You won't get whatever. If these people want to go back to the good old days of measles and many other nasty viruses then so be it. In fact I hope they go travel the world, they'll find out pretty quick why vaccines were invented.

Because there are real costs associated with an unvaccinated population. And I don't mean just demand on health care workers and facilities.