Editor’s Note: Mark Rupp, M.D., medical director, Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, shares the following information to help health care workers decide whether or not to accept vaccination against influenza.
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2) In healthy adults, the vaccine has been shown to reduce morbidity, absenteeism and antibiotic use. Influenza vaccination led to an 88 percent reduction of influenza infection in health care workers and a 28 percent reduction in absenteeism due to respiratory illness.1, 2
In 2 separate studies, total patient mortality was significantly lower at those sites where health care workers were routinely vaccinated compared to sites where routine vaccination was not offered. 3,4
3) A person may not have symptoms of an influenza infection but can still shed the virus, thereby exposing patients and co-workers to influenza. One study noted that 28 percent of health care workers with serologically-confirmed influenza could not recall having had any respiratory symptoms during that time period.5
4) Most people who get the flu shot experience no side effects. In those who do, the side effects are mild and can include soreness at the injection site. Less than 1 percent of vaccine recipients have a general unwell feeling that lasts only one to two days. The flu vaccine is made of killed flu viruses. The influenza vaccine cannot cause the flu.
5) Other measures to limit the spread of influenza include: Adherence to cough etiquette practices – placing patients with influenza-like illness in droplet precautions at first encounter, rapid diagnostic test for patients and health care workers with suspected influenza, prompt treatment of patients with diagnosed influenza, and restricting ill health care workers from patient care.
6) Health care workers have a moral and ethical duty to protect vulnerable patients from transmissible diseases. Seven states have instituted influenza vaccination requirements for health care workers.
Open influenza vaccination clinics for all health care workers will be conducted at The Nebraska Medical Center as follows (bring your employee ID badge):
- Monday, Nov. 7 — 7 to 9 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. in the Private Dining Room B
- Tuesday, Nov. 8 — 7 to 9 a.m. in Storz 3&4 and 1 to 3 p.m. in Storz 6
- Tuesday, Nov. 15 — 7 to 9 a.m. in Private Dining Room B and 1 to 3 p.m. in Storz 6.
In addition, the employee health clinic is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (no appointment is needed) for flu shots.
1. Saxen H, Virtanen M. Pedriatr Infect Dis J 1999;18:779-83.
2. Wilde JA, et al. JAMA 1999; 281:908-13.
3. Carman WF, et al. Lancet. 2000;3555:93-7.
4. Potter J, et al. J Infect Dis. 1997; 175:1-6.
5. Elder AG, et al. BMJ 1996; 313:1241-2