We’re trying out a new blog segment here at Allied Travel Careers called the “Allied Health Debate.” Myself (Troy Diffenderfer) and co-writer Lenay Ruhl will break down a topic and discuss the arguments for and against it, each taking a side. We’ll then ask that you let us know your opinion on the subject. This time around, we’re discussing whether or not there should be mandatory vaccines for healthcare workers, like you! In the midst of flu season, this controversial subject has many in the industry talking. Let’s take a look at the different sides of the vaccine debate. The Debate on Mandatory Vaccines for Healthcare Workers In an effort to protect patients from communicable diseases, U.S. hospitals are compelling health care workers to get vaccinated against the flu and other infectious diseases. Hospitalized patients who become infected have an elevated risk of developing complications or dying. However, not all hospitals require mandatory vaccines for healthcare workers. Many in favor of vaccines for healthcare workers argue that this puts the health of not only providers in jeopardy, but also the millions of people they treat every year. On the other hand, mandatory vaccines for healthcare workers can be seen as a violation of privacy. With that said, only about 65 percent of healthcare workers get flu vaccines every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, when workers are required to get vaccinated, the number increases to about 85 percent. Below we’ll take a look at both the arguments for and against mandatory vaccines for healthcare workers. Why Mandatory Vaccines for Healthcare Workers Should Exist By Troy Diffenderfer Check out more allied health content written by Troy Diffenderfer!     ·      Going unvaccinated hurts patients For healthcare professionals, the patient almost always comes first. That shouldn’t change when it comes to vaccines. There are many cases on record where illness has spread in a healthcare facility and only a fraction of the workers was vaccinated. In 1998, two patients died and 25 were sickened with flu at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The deaths occurred in the hospital’s bone marrow unit. Only 12 percent of healthcare workers in the unit at the time had been vaccinated against the flu. After the incident, the hospital would go on to create the “flu fighters” campaign. This offered vaccinations to...