Dear Colleagues,
As many of you are dealing with health care worker (HCW) influenza vaccination issues at your own institutions, I'm writing to announce that IDSA has strengthened its position supporting mandatory vaccination of HCWs against influenza. We believe immunization is the most effective thing we as HCWs can do to protect our patients—and ourselves—from influenza, including the 2009 novel H1N1 virus. All of us and all of our colleagues who work in direct patient care should be immunized. We owe it to our patients.
In 2007, IDSA adopted a policy supporting mandatory influenza vaccination among HCWs as part of our report,
Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Principles for U.S. Action . In light of the current pandemic, the IDSA Board of Directors recently voted to expand that policy to address H1N1 and to support requiring unimmunized HCWs to wear masks or accept reassignment away from direct patient care to protect patients from influenza. The new policy can be found on the IDSA home page at www.idsociety.org .
Although we support educational programs that inform HCWs about the value of getting immunized, in recent years, educational programs alone and easy access to influenza immunization have only slightly improved HCW vaccination rates in many health care systems. Most successful educational programs still average only 40 to 70 percent coverage, well short of acceptable levels.
Universal immunization of HCWs against seasonal and H1N1 influenza should be the goal of all health care institutions, whether inpatient or outpatient, when vaccine is not in short supply. Several studies demonstrate that immunizing HCWs against influenza reduces both morbidity and mortality among patients. Links to several of these studies are available on our website . In one randomized controlled trial of 20 long-term care hospitals in the United Kingdom , for example, vaccination of HCWs was associated with a substantial decrease in patient mortality, from 22.4 percent to 13.6 percent. These and other findings make it clear: Immunizing HCWs is a critical patient safety issue.
We believe employees who cannot be vaccinated due to medical contraindications, because the vaccine is in short supply, or who sign a written declination choosing not to be vaccinated for religious reasons should be required to wear masks or be reassigned from direct patient care. We understand health care institutions will not be able to establish and fully implement mandatory programs immediately. They will need to balance multiple priorities in implementing such policies, taking into account vaccine supply and distribution, mask supplies, the use and content of declination forms, staffing needs, and other local situations, particularly in this challenging influenza season.
A growing number of health care systems and institutions, including BJC HealthCare in St. Louis and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , have adopted mandatory influenza immunization policies. For a list of additional institutions that have adopted such policies, see this website . We welcome your feedback on IDSA's stronger policy and this important patient safety issue. Please share your comments by e-mail .
In addition, we offer many immunization resources on our
H1N1 and seasonal influenza webpage , including links to vaccination information statements, question-and-answer documents explaining vaccine safety and other related issues, and vaccination guidance for state and local health officials. This page is updated regularly with the latest information related to H1N1 and seasonal influenza.
Sincerely,
Anne A. Gershon, MD, FIDSA
President, IDSA
This message brought to you by the Infectious Diseases Society of America ( http://www.idsociety.org/ ). 1300 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300, Arlington , VA 22209 Ph. (703) 299-0200
As many of you are dealing with health care worker (HCW) influenza vaccination issues at your own institutions, I'm writing to announce that IDSA has strengthened its position supporting mandatory vaccination of HCWs against influenza. We believe immunization is the most effective thing we as HCWs can do to protect our patients—and ourselves—from influenza, including the 2009 novel H1N1 virus. All of us and all of our colleagues who work in direct patient care should be immunized. We owe it to our patients.
In 2007, IDSA adopted a policy supporting mandatory influenza vaccination among HCWs as part of our report,
Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Principles for U.S. Action . In light of the current pandemic, the IDSA Board of Directors recently voted to expand that policy to address H1N1 and to support requiring unimmunized HCWs to wear masks or accept reassignment away from direct patient care to protect patients from influenza. The new policy can be found on the IDSA home page at www.idsociety.org .
Although we support educational programs that inform HCWs about the value of getting immunized, in recent years, educational programs alone and easy access to influenza immunization have only slightly improved HCW vaccination rates in many health care systems. Most successful educational programs still average only 40 to 70 percent coverage, well short of acceptable levels.
Universal immunization of HCWs against seasonal and H1N1 influenza should be the goal of all health care institutions, whether inpatient or outpatient, when vaccine is not in short supply. Several studies demonstrate that immunizing HCWs against influenza reduces both morbidity and mortality among patients. Links to several of these studies are available on our website . In one randomized controlled trial of 20 long-term care hospitals in the United Kingdom , for example, vaccination of HCWs was associated with a substantial decrease in patient mortality, from 22.4 percent to 13.6 percent. These and other findings make it clear: Immunizing HCWs is a critical patient safety issue.
We believe employees who cannot be vaccinated due to medical contraindications, because the vaccine is in short supply, or who sign a written declination choosing not to be vaccinated for religious reasons should be required to wear masks or be reassigned from direct patient care. We understand health care institutions will not be able to establish and fully implement mandatory programs immediately. They will need to balance multiple priorities in implementing such policies, taking into account vaccine supply and distribution, mask supplies, the use and content of declination forms, staffing needs, and other local situations, particularly in this challenging influenza season.
A growing number of health care systems and institutions, including BJC HealthCare in St. Louis and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , have adopted mandatory influenza immunization policies. For a list of additional institutions that have adopted such policies, see this website . We welcome your feedback on IDSA's stronger policy and this important patient safety issue. Please share your comments by e-mail .
In addition, we offer many immunization resources on our
H1N1 and seasonal influenza webpage , including links to vaccination information statements, question-and-answer documents explaining vaccine safety and other related issues, and vaccination guidance for state and local health officials. This page is updated regularly with the latest information related to H1N1 and seasonal influenza.
Sincerely,
Anne A. Gershon, MD, FIDSA
President, IDSA
This message brought to you by the Infectious Diseases Society of America ( http://www.idsociety.org/ ). 1300 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300, Arlington , VA 22209 Ph. (703) 299-0200
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