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Last week in September: Time to check immunization status

OSHA Healthcare Connection, September 23, 2005

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National Adult Immunization Awareness Week, which takes place September 25-October 1, is an opportune time for healthcare workers to check that they have immunizations for staying healthy while on the job.

The Immunization Action Coalition, a not-for-profit publisher of immunization information and advised by the CDC, has an easy-to-read healthcare worker vaccination recommendations Web page. Here are the recommendations in brief:

• Hepatitis B-Give three-dose series (dose # 1 now, # 2 in one month, and # 3 approximately five months after # 2). Obtain hepatitis B surface antibody serologic testing one to two months after dose # 3.
• Influenza-Give one dose of trivalent (inactivated) influenza vaccine or live, attenuated influenza vaccine annually.
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)-For persons born in 1957 or later without serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination, give two doses of MMR, four weeks apart.
• Varicella (chickenpox)-For persons who have no serologic proof of immunity, prior vaccination, or history of varicella disease, give two doses of varicella vaccine, four weeks apart.
• Tetanus/diphtheria-All adults need a Td booster dose every 10 years, following the completion of the primary three-dose series.
• Meningococcal-Give one dose to microbiologists who are routinely exposed to isolates of N. meningitidis.

Your state may have different requirements for vaccination of licensed healthcare professionals. Check the CDC state departments of health Web page.

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