Is it possible to get out of getting my dtr the flu shot?

[SaraJayne]

And then if you claim your home as a house of worship, maybe you can get out of paying some taxes too.

Ahhh yes, a page taken from the Duggar notebook.

 

[Elinor Dashwood]

I bolded. The flu vaccine is a guess. It has been wrong many times. The scenario you posted could still happen even with the vaccine.

Very very true. My friend's mom got the vaccine several years ago, had a reaction to it and ended up having the flu anyway.

I don't think the flu vaccine is worth the hype. Your body is designed to react to illnesses and injecting it with one isn't a natural means IMO.

 

[beaucoup]

Homeschool

 

[luvsJack]

I bolded. The flu vaccine is a guess. It has been wrong many times. The scenario you posted could still happen even with the vaccine.

It could but why not do everything we can to keep it from happening? OH, that's right because your rights to make your own choice for your child's shots are more important than someone else's right to not be subjected to the flu. All about me, right?


Do all of you also claim religious reasons for getting out of the other immunizations that are required? Or do you just pick and choose at will?

How do you purpose the OP claim religious reasons for this shot only?

 

[mfd25wife]

How many of those people got the flu from someone that would not have gotten it had they or the people they come in contact with been vaccinated?

Example - what if your child doesn't get the vaccine and gets the flu, then gives it to someone else, who then gives it to someone with a compromised immune system and ends up hospitalized and dies. If your child had gotten the vaccine, that person would have never died. Your child got over the flu and is fine. The person they gave it to got over it and is fine. That that person (or people) down the line did not and lost their life.

This is NOT a far-fetched scenario and I'm sure it's happened before. There are not just and individual effects. There are also community effects.

That's quite a guilt trip to put on someone. We have no way of knowing if it's happened before.

Same person could get vaccinated, get the flu, give it to a carrier who gives it to someone who dies. They are no less of a carrier or spreader of germs. What if same person gets vaccinated reacts and is hospitalized or dies? Do we say, "so bad, so sad but at least no one got the flu from him or her".

 

[Christine]

I don't think the flu vaccine is worth the hype. Your body is designed to react to illnesses and injecting it with one isn't a natural means IMO.

Well, there's a lot of things we do now that aren't natural. Ever take an antibotic for strep throat? Not natural.

I actually agree with the theory of vaccinations. There are a few illnesses where being vaccinated has been proven effective and have eradicated many deadly diseases: small pox, polio to name two.

That said, I do think that vaccines come with side effects. Some of them very, very serious. And while those reactions are rare when you think about how many people are given a vaccine versus how many people have a serious reaction, it's easy to dismiss them. However, I'm sure that the people who do have reactions aren't feeling like it's all that rare.

There are many people who have experienced sensitivities to previous vaccines, or they have experienced sensitivities to medications or chemicals such as perfumes, cleaning supplies, etc. I think those people have every right to be cautious about taking a vaccine and they should be able to look at their own medical history and make that decision.

I, personally, am not comfortable dealing with 3 weeks of side effects from a vaccine so I balance the risk of the illness against the symptoms I might very well experience. The flu shot is one that I forgo because I actually kind of believe it is overhyped and I'm not 100% convinced that it does a good job from season to season and there's really no way to know for sure if it worked in any given year or it didn't.

If the OP has valid concerns about a reaction in her child, I think that should be respected. Since it is the law in NJ to get the vaccine, it would seem to me that she could discuss those concerns with her physician and the physician would have the ability to waive the requirement.

 

[robinb]

Well, there's a lot of things we do now that aren't natural. Ever take an antibotic for strep throat? Not natural.

I actually agree with the theory of vaccinations. There are a few illnesses where being vaccinated has been proven effective and have eradicated many deadly diseases: small pox, polio to name two.

That said, I do think that vaccines come with side effects. Some of them very, very serious. And while those reactions are rare when you think about how many people are given a vaccine versus how many people have a serious reaction, it's easy to dismiss them. However, I'm sure that the people who do have reactions aren't feeling like it's all that rare.

There are many people who have experienced sensitivities to previous vaccines, or they have experienced sensitivities to medications are chemicals such as perfumes, cleaning supplies, etc. I think those people have every right to be cautious about taking a vaccine and they should be able to look at their own medical history and make that decision.

I, personally, am not comfortable dealing with 3 weeks of side effects from a vaccine so I balance the risk of the illness against the symptoms I might very well experience. The flu shot is one that I forgo because I actually kind of believe it is overhyped and I'm not 100% convinced that it does a good job from season to season and there's really no way to know for sure if it worked in any given year or it didn't.

If the OP has valid concerns about a reaction in her child, I think that should be respected. Since it is the law in NJ to get the vaccine, it would seem to me that she could discuss those concerns with her physician and the physician would have the ability to waive the requirement.

I personally don't think her concerns are valid. They are based on a different child who had a known mild reaction to the vaccine. But, the validity of the concern is really between her and her child's doctor. You're right, she should ask the doctor for a waiver. That's much better than making up some religious objection.

 

[teacup princess]

In most states (and I'm not familiar with NJ) the religious exemption is an exemption based on your religious opposition To the PRACTICE of IMMUNIZATION, not to specific vaccines. Therefore, I don't think your religious opposition to only the flu shot will hold up if you've done other vaccines.

 

[luvmy3]

So according to some-
If your religion doesn't believe in vaccines it is okay but if you personally don't believe in certain or all vaccines it's not?

Okay OP- New religion- We can call ourselves "Church of the Non Fluers" Voila! Religious exemption!

It could but why not do everything we can to keep it from happening? OH, that's right because your rights to make your own choice for your child's shots are more important than someone else's right to not be subjected to the flu. All about me, right?




Do all of you also claim religious reasons for getting out of the other immunizations that are required? Or do you just pick and choose at will?

How do you purpose the OP claim religious reasons for this shot only?

Herd immunity can't possibly be argued when the flu vaccine doesn't protect against all strains of the flu. You can force people to get it, but when they get flu A instead of flu B it isn't going to make one bit of difference because they are going to pass it to others.

ETA, if you are worried about getting the flu because someone else didn't get the vaccine, just make sure YOU get it. Seems pretty simple.

 

[DizBelle]

It could but why not do everything we can to keep it from happening? OH, that's right because your rights to make your own choice for your child's shots are more important than someone else's right to not be subjected to the flu. All about me, right?


Do all of you also claim religious reasons for getting out of the other immunizations that are required? Or do you just pick and choose at will?

How do you purpose the OP claim religious reasons for this shot only?

Interesting question - how can she claim objection on religious grounds when she didn't for all of the other vaccines her child got?

 

[luvmy3]

Interesting question - how can she claim objection on religious grounds when she didn't for all of the other vaccines her child got?

She has since converted

 

[DizBelle]

Herd immunity can't possibly be argued when the flu vaccine doesn't protect against all strains of the flu. You can force people to get it, but when they get flu A instead of flu B it isn't going to make one bit of difference because they are going to pass it to others.

ETA, if you are worried about getting the flu because someone else didn't get the vaccine, just make sure YOU get it. Seems pretty simple.

It makes a difference if you get exposed go flu A and you were vaccinated against flu A. The idea here is reducing the probability that you will get the flu.

"They" determine the most probable strain of flu that will be going around and develop the vaccine for it. If you get the vaccine, you decrease your probability that you will get that strain of flu.

Of course there is no guarantee that you won't get the flu but decreasing the probability that will get the flu is a good thing isn't it? Who wants to be laid up feeling miserable for a week or 2?

 

[Ceila]

OP, have you spoken with your daughter's doctor? As many have said, if your concern is valid medically, then your doctor absolutely can write a letter that will exempt her from the requirement.

The fact that you know a doctor would write an note for a child who is truly at risk, and you are planning to lie about the religious exemption anyway, makes me think that you know that your daughter is not, in fact, in danger medically from this vaccine.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I guess I would much rather my child get the flu shot than to suffer the symptoms of the flu, or to pass it on to someone else that may have a weakened immune system. If this particular child hasn't has a reaction to it before, why would you think she might?

My children rarely get colds and have never had the flu, but why take chances if it can be prevented?

On the flip side of that, my kids have never had the flu and had never had the Flu shot. In fact just last month the flu ran rampant through the school and my kids were all fine.

In most states (and I'm not familiar with NJ) the religious exemption is an exemption based on your religious opposition To the PRACTICE of IMMUNIZATION, not to specific vaccines. Therefore, I don't think your religious opposition to only the flu shot will hold up if you've done other vaccines.

Nope, I just signed a religious waiver for DS12 to not have the meningitis vaccine, and only that vaccine. The school nurse told me to sign it even though we are not religious. It was a static form and all they ask for was the name and address of the child who didn't receive the vaccine.
There are multiple families at our school who pick and choose which vaccines to get their kids. The school nurse declined the Gardasil vaccine for her kids after doing research on it, and that's the only one her kids haven't had, and the one their particular school was pushing the most.

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[luvmy3]

It makes a difference if you get exposed go flu A and you were vaccinated against flu A. The idea here is reducing the probability that you will get the flu.

"They" determine the most probable strain of flu that will be going around and develop the vaccine for it. If you get the vaccine, you decrease your probability that you will get that strain of flu.

Of course there is no guarantee that you won't get the flu but decreasing the probability that will get the flu is a good thing isn't it? Who wants to be laid up feeling miserable for a week or 2?

I understand how it works, I have 2 asthmatics in my home that get the vaccine every year. However I do not, and neither does my dh or my dd.
My point was herd immunity works only if everyone exposed to the flu gets the strains the vaccine protects against. Since there is a possibility that the strain you get is not the strain that it does, there is no guarantee that forcing people to get it is going to protect anyone. Therefore no need to force people, if they want to be protected from the likely strains of the year, they can choose to get the vaccine and the people who choose not, shouldn't have to.

 

[luvsJack]

Herd immunity can't possibly be argued when the flu vaccine doesn't protect against all strains of the flu. You can force people to get it, but when they get flu A instead of flu B it isn't going to make one bit of difference because they are going to pass it to others.

ETA, if you are worried about getting the flu because someone else didn't get the vaccine, just make sure YOU get it. Seems pretty simple.

We are talking about children in preschool here and I assume that the rule applies to children in childcare in NJ also.

Children tend to spread the flu (and other illnesses) very easily and very quickly. The danger comes when a child is not immunized and spreads the flu to other children that are not able to be immunized due to honest medical issues. If that can be prevented why not do so?

Is everyone's objection actually to the shot or just to be told that its the law for this age child in NJ?

Y'all sound like the mom whose child I had in preschool. Every day she brought the child donuts for breakfast. Every day I put them back in the child's bag. (Regulations stipulate that no outside food can be brought in the center except in the case of extreme food allergies). Finally, the mom brought the child in during breakfast and spread out all the donuts on the table. I told her that she could not eat them there that she would need to make sure her child finished the donuts before arriving at preschool. She ranted and raved that she had every right to feed her child what she chose.

I simply stated to her, "yes ma'm you do but not here in this school. If you can't abide by that rule, you also have every right to find another preschool" And I made sure my tone let her know that she would be looking for one very soon if she didn't stop. Funny thing, we never saw those flipping donuts again.

She didn't care about her "right to feed her child whatever she wanted", she just didn't want to be told no. That's what a lot of you sound like you are saying--you don't really care if your child gets the flu shot or not; you just don't want to told what the rule is.

 

[mfd25wife]

On the flip side of that, my kids have never had the flu and had never had the Flu shot. In fact just last month the flu ran rampant through the school and my kids were all fine.



Nope, I just signed a religious waiver for DS12 to not have the meningitis vaccine, and only that vaccine. The school nurse told me to sign it even though we are not religious. It was a static form and all they ask for was the name and address of the child who didn't receive the vaccine.
There are multiple families at our school who pick and choose which vaccines to get their kids. The school nurse declined the Gardasil vaccine for her kids after doing research on it, and that's the only one her kids haven't had, and the one their particular school was pushing the most.

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They push the Gardisil vaccine here a lot. I did not want DD to have it so she didn't. Fortunately, she was old enough we didn't have to deal with mandates. Also, because it was fairly new, insurance didn't pay if we wanted her vaccinated. I think it was over $100 for each round, but physicians still
pushed to get them done. Her doctor and I talked about it a lot, to the point he said there was a way to get insurance to pay if that was why I didn't want it. It wasn't, bu I found that interesting.

Most vaccines, I don't have an issue with. However, I do believe it should be up to the person (or parent) if he or she wants one for the flu. I agree with the pp tha if you are afraid you'll get it from someone else, get yourself vaccinated. For the OP, I would tell them you decline for religious reasons.

 

[LisaInNc]

I am going to be in the minority here but reading that people think that the OP should invoke religious reasons when she has none is disturbing to me.

Just lie and get what you want?

I live a life with my child that she NEVER sees me lie. I don't lie to her school I don't lie in my regular life. I realize that the OP has a child in preschool but it's just wrong to lie like that. I agree that she has the right not to immunize her daughter but there is a right and a wrong way to handle things.

The only exception is for gifts and things like Santa and Mickey Mouse being real. If she looks me in the eye tonight and asks me if bought her an AG doll for Christmas I am going to tell her no.

We have that agreement in this house. Tell the truth at all costs but have fun with Christmas surprises!
Lisa

 

[gina2000]

I'm not particularly in favor of mandated flu vaccines for any age group but NJ is the most densely populated state in the nation and has a huge immigrant population. I can totally understand why NJ has mandated the law. I don't have a preschooler anymore but if that's the law, I would follow it unless my son (and not another sibling) had had a SERIOUS reaction to the flue shot...not a minor fever.

I only had the flu once - my son came down with it as a preschooler. His entire class was wiped out - he was one of the last to contract it and honestly, it was a doozy. I had never had it before and I've never had it since...and I wouldn't wish the flu on my worst enemy.

 

[teacup princess]

Nope, I just signed a religious waiver for DS12 to not have the meningitis vaccine, and only that vaccine. The school nurse told me to sign it even though we are not religious. It was a static form and all they ask for was the name and address of the child who didn't receive the vaccine.
There are multiple families at our school who pick and choose which vaccines to get their kids. The school nurse declined the Gardasil vaccine for her kids after doing research on it, and that's the only one her kids haven't had, and the one their particular school was pushing the most.

Your state and school must be very liberal. That would NEVER fly in my district.