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CNN Live At Daybreak
Health Care Union Worried about Smallpox Vaccine
Aired December 04, 2002 - 06:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The nation's largest health care union is voicing some concern about President Bush's plan to vaccinate health care workers against smallpox.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Bush is soon expected to announce a plan to vaccinate half- a-million health care workers against smallpox. But now, the nation's largest health care workers union says, hold on a minute. They say the vaccine is a very dangerous one, and that the president's plan does not contain enough safeguards.
ANDREW STERN, HEALTH CARE WORKERS UNION: First, we want to see guaranteed rights to testing to make sure it's safe for you to be vaccinated. Two is, we want to make sure if you get sick as a result of the testing, you get treatment and time off and compensation if it's even a permanent disability.
COHEN: Now, there are reasons to be concerned about this vaccine. Out of every million people who take it, one will die, 15 will get life-threatening illnesses.
These are pictures of just some of the side effects that people can get when they get the smallpox vaccination.
The union says they wouldn't be opposed to their members getting the smallpox vaccine if they wanted it, and the plan would be entirely voluntary, but they say that it needs to have certain safeguards built in.
For example, there are certain people who should not get this vaccine, including people who are HIV positive or who are pregnant. And the union says that those tests -- an HIV test and a pregnancy test -- ought to be offered up to any worker who wants it.
Secondly, they say there should be an injury compensation fund to compensate people who are injured.
And thirdly, paid sick leave. If someone gets the vaccine, becomes ill and can't work because they're too sick that they should be compensated for that.
Now, it was very interesting. I talked to an administration official, who said that they're having a meeting with the union, and they think these problems can be worked through.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Elizabeth Cohen reporting.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired December 4, 2002 - 06:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The nation's largest health care union is voicing some concern about President Bush's plan to vaccinate health care workers against smallpox.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Bush is soon expected to announce a plan to vaccinate half- a-million health care workers against smallpox. But now, the nation's largest health care workers union says, hold on a minute. They say the vaccine is a very dangerous one, and that the president's plan does not contain enough safeguards.
ANDREW STERN, HEALTH CARE WORKERS UNION: First, we want to see guaranteed rights to testing to make sure it's safe for you to be vaccinated. Two is, we want to make sure if you get sick as a result of the testing, you get treatment and time off and compensation if it's even a permanent disability.
COHEN: Now, there are reasons to be concerned about this vaccine. Out of every million people who take it, one will die, 15 will get life-threatening illnesses.
These are pictures of just some of the side effects that people can get when they get the smallpox vaccination.
The union says they wouldn't be opposed to their members getting the smallpox vaccine if they wanted it, and the plan would be entirely voluntary, but they say that it needs to have certain safeguards built in.
For example, there are certain people who should not get this vaccine, including people who are HIV positive or who are pregnant. And the union says that those tests -- an HIV test and a pregnancy test -- ought to be offered up to any worker who wants it.
Secondly, they say there should be an injury compensation fund to compensate people who are injured.
And thirdly, paid sick leave. If someone gets the vaccine, becomes ill and can't work because they're too sick that they should be compensated for that.
Now, it was very interesting. I talked to an administration official, who said that they're having a meeting with the union, and they think these problems can be worked through.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Elizabeth Cohen reporting.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
