Home

  • Home
    • » e-Newsletters

Flu expert says vaccinations are part of the job

Infection Control Monitor, July 18, 2008

Criticizing the low percentage of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers, William Schaffner, MD, chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and president-elect of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, appealed to healthcare providers to “view annual influenza vaccination as a professional responsibility.”

Although the CDC recommends annual flu shots for all healthcare providers, in most years only about 40% of healthcare workers are vaccinated. Schaffner’s remarks appeared in a July 2008 supplement to the American Journal of Medicine devoted to increasing influenza immunization rates.

In addition to being positive role models, healthcare providers who annually receive flu shots reduce their chances of catching the flu, which in turn protects patients in their care.
Click here to view the complete content of the journal’s supplement on influenza.

Most Popular