Requiring influenza vaccination for health care workers: seven truths we must accept

In this paper we outline the seven primary truths supporting the call for requiring influenza immunization of all health care workers. We view this as a serious patient safety issue, given the clear and compelling data regarding the frequency and severity of influenza infection. In addition, clear-c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Vaccine 2005-03, Vol.23 (17), p.2251-2255
Main Authors: Poland, Gregory A., Tosh, Pritish, Jacobson, Robert M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied microbiology
Biological and medical sciences
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Communicable disease control
Disease control
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health care
Health care industry
Health Personnel
Hospitals
Humans
Immunization
Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient
Influenza
Influenza vaccine
Influenza Vaccines - pharmacology
Influenza virus
Influenza, Human - prevention & control
Influenza, Human - transmission
Microbiology
Mortality
Patient safety
United States
Vaccination - ethics
Vaccination - utilization
Vaccines
Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects)
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Summary:In this paper we outline the seven primary truths supporting the call for requiring influenza immunization of all health care workers. We view this as a serious patient safety issue, given the clear and compelling data regarding the frequency and severity of influenza infection. In addition, clear-cut safety, efficacy, economic, legal, and ethical platforms support the use of influenza vaccine. Unfortunately health care workers have demonstrated, over almost 25 years that they are unwilling to comply with voluntary influenza immunization programs utilizing a variety of education and incentive programs, at rates sufficient to protect the patients in their care. We suggest that an annual influenza immunization should be required for every health care worker with direct patient contact, unless a medical contraindication or religious objection exists, or an informed declination is signed by the health care worker. High rates of health care worker immunization will benefit patients, health care workers, their families and employers, and the communities within which they work and live.
ISSN:0264-410X
1873-2518
DOI:10.1016/j.vaccine.2005.01.043