You don't have to have patient contact to get the flu. YOu just have to walk down the hall, open a door, talk to someone, eat a meal, talk to someone, use the phone, use the computer, etc.
The darn flu bugs live anywhere and everywhere. Supposedly people are to wash their hands, etc but that is something that is a pipe dream. Just stand in a bathroom and watch people go in and out.
No matter where you are you are going to be exposed to the flu bug. TRy going to Walmart, the grocery store, etc. It is sort of like playing Russian roulette. If you play and don't get the flu you can jump up and down for joy. If you play and you get the flu, then you are going to be sick.
Hospitals don't like people around who are playing Russian roulette because it is the people who aren't vaccinated who get sick and spread the disease more. They just can't take a chance having all their help exposed and getting sick. The hospitals know that there is a possibility of a death from the flu or other terrible side effects that may ruin a person's ability to work again.
I know that you are angry about being forced to do this, but in this day and age when a business has a policy and a person knows it there isn't much you can do about it. I fear it could cause the loss of the job. This is probably a very justifiable policy they have because if even 25% of their staff gets sick and can't work the hospital can hardly function. It really puts the health care of a community in a terrible position as the hospital admits are up and the lack of help is way down.
I was called back to work when I was on maternity leave back in 1968 during a flu epidemic. The hospital was full and the halls were full of beds. There were some deaths and a few of them in our town were young people. Back in those days I don't even remember if there was a flu vaccine, but I am thinking it hadn't come out yet or was available for only the chronically ill and older people.
Life isi not like it used to be. Irish
