Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Health Care Personnel Remain Well Below Nat...( National Foundation for Infectious ...),Health

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Highlights Critical Need for

Improved Rates; Illustrates Best Practices

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent data revealing that only 42 percent of health care personnel have received their annual influenza vaccination, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has published two new reports: a Call to Action urging health care personnel to receive annual influenza vaccines and a Best Practices report illustrating innovative programs for increasing immunization rates.

These reports are part of a major initiative led by NFID to address the critical need to improve influenza vaccination rates among health care personnel. Despite many public health organizations' recommendations that health care personnel be vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data reveal that more than half do not receive their annual influenza vaccination.

"Too many valuable health care personnel risk contracting influenza because they have not been vaccinated," said William Schaffner, M.D., Vice President, NFID. "Even more troubling is the fact that these employees risk spreading the virus among the sick and often immunocompromised patients under their care. These reports, together, elevate awareness of the implications of unvaccinated health care personnel and offer health facilities innovative solutions for increasing influenza vaccination among their employees."

Call to Action Sheds Light on Vaccination Gaps

The Call to Action, "Influenza Immunization among Health Care Personnel," urges employers to dedicate adequate resources to ensure influenza immunization in the workplace. Health care personnel include all persons working in health care settings, including home health care, who have contact with patients.

Unvaccinated health facility employees can be a significant source of influenza virus transmission -- among each othe
'/>"/>