CDC Promotes Caregiver Flu Vaccinations

Abstract

WASHINGTON – Flu vaccination rates in the United States are up, and more health care professionals are leading by example, Thomas Frieden, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced at a press conference previewing this year's flu season.The annual flu vaccine is never perfect, but “we can say with certainty that the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community is to get a flu shot,” Dr. Frieden said.Approximately 90 million doses of vaccine are currently available, and 170 million doses are expected this year, Dr. Frieden said. Availability of the flu vaccine should not be a concern this year, and now is a great time for health care professionals and the public to get their flu vaccines, he added.Last year, approximately 43% of Americans aged 6 months and older were vaccinated; 8 million more than the previous year, and more than ever before, Dr. Frieden said. The recommendations for flu vaccination remain the same as last year: “Everyone aged 6 months and older should get the flu vaccine, this year and every year,” Dr. Frieden said. He emphasized that flu shots are necessary each year.“You need this year's flu shot to protect you against this year's flu,” he said. One shot should protect against the flu for the duration of the season, but protection does wane and can't be expected to carry over year to year, he explained.In August, the CDC awarded AMDA (as part of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit) the “Excellence in Partnering” award. In a congratulatory letter to AMDA, the CDC said, “Concerted efforts by the summit have resulted in expanded influenza vaccine coverage by increasing public and medical professional awareness of influenza and its complications and the benefits of vaccination.AMDA President Karyn Leible, RN, MD, CMD, said, “We currently are working with our members to promote a 90% immunization rate for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines among facility residents.”Last March, the AMDA House of Delegates passed the revised position statement “Mandatory Immunizations for Long Term Care Workers,” which supports mandatory influenza vaccination for “every long term health care worker who has direct patient contact unless a medical contraindication or religious objection exists.”This Year's VaccinesThis year, there are four types of flu vaccine available: the traditional intramuscular injection, a nasal spray, a high-dose injection for adults aged 65 years and older, and a new intradermal vaccine featuring a barely noticeable needle. The intradermal vaccine is approved for use only in individuals aged 18–64 years.William Schaffner, MD, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), noted that vaccination rates are up among health care workers and that doctors are getting better about recommending flu vaccination to their patients.A total of 68% of adults said that a health care professional recommended that they get a flu vaccination this year, up from 58% in 2010 and 38% in 2008, according to a nationwide telephone survey of 1,006 adults conducted by the NFID. Approximately 60% of adults who were vaccinated last year said that they did so because a health care professional specifically recommended it.Vaccination rates in health care professionals themselves are up approximately 63% from last year, Dr. Schaffner said, but there is room for improvement. “There are a lot of health care professionals who still don't understand that it's a patient safety issue,” he noted. “And among some health care professionals, there is that persistent myth that you can get the flu from the flu vaccine, which is incorrect,” he said.Leadership from the top is essential to improving vaccination rates in health care professionals, Dr. Schaffner said. For example, “A strong senior administrator who makes it clear that we are going to make our hospital environment absolutely as safe as possible for our patients,” which means that flu vaccination is expected, “is essential for increasing flu vaccination among health care professionals,” he said.To help encourage vaccination this year, the NFID introduced a “leading by example” initiative that calls on health care professionals as well as community and business leaders to get vaccinated themselves as an example to their employees and colleagues.Dr. Frieden set an example by getting his flu shot live during the press conference. “It didn't hurt a bit,” he said.The press conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. For the latest information on the 2011–2012 flu season, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/ or www.flu.gov.Heidi Splete is a senior writer with Elsevier Global Medical News. WASHINGTON – Flu vaccination rates in the United States are up, and more health care professionals are leading by example, Thomas Frieden, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced at a press conference previewing this year's flu season. The annual flu vaccine is never perfect, but “we can say with certainty that the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community is to get a flu shot,” Dr. Frieden said. Approximately 90 million doses of vaccine are currently available, and 170 million doses are expected this year, Dr. Frieden said. Availability of the flu vaccine should not be a concern this year, and now is a great time for health care professionals and the public to get their flu vaccines, he added. Last year, approximately 43% of Americans aged 6 months and older were vaccinated; 8 million more than the previous year, and more than ever before, Dr. Frieden said. The recommendations for flu vaccination remain the same as last year: “Everyone aged 6 months and older should get the flu vaccine, this year and every year,” Dr. Frieden said. He emphasized that flu shots are necessary each year. “You need this year's flu shot to protect you against this year's flu,” he said. One shot should protect against the flu for the duration of the season, but protection does wane and can't be expected to carry over year to year, he explained. In August, the CDC awarded AMDA (as part of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit) the “Excellence in Partnering” award. In a congratulatory letter to AMDA, the CDC said, “Concerted efforts by the summit have resulted in expanded influenza vaccine coverage by increasing public and medical professional awareness of influenza and its complications and the benefits of vaccination. AMDA President Karyn Leible, RN, MD, CMD, said, “We currently are working with our members to promote a 90% immunization rate for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines among facility residents.” Last March, the AMDA House of Delegates passed the revised position statement “Mandatory Immunizations for Long Term Care Workers,” which supports mandatory influenza vaccination for “every long term health care worker who has direct patient contact unless a medical contraindication or religious objection exists.” This Year's VaccinesThis year, there are four types of flu vaccine available: the traditional intramuscular injection, a nasal spray, a high-dose injection for adults aged 65 years and older, and a new intradermal vaccine featuring a barely noticeable needle. The intradermal vaccine is approved for use only in individuals aged 18–64 years.William Schaffner, MD, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), noted that vaccination rates are up among health care workers and that doctors are getting better about recommending flu vaccination to their patients.A total of 68% of adults said that a health care professional recommended that they get a flu vaccination this year, up from 58% in 2010 and 38% in 2008, according to a nationwide telephone survey of 1,006 adults conducted by the NFID. Approximately 60% of adults who were vaccinated last year said that they did so because a health care professional specifically recommended it.Vaccination rates in health care professionals themselves are up approximately 63% from last year, Dr. Schaffner said, but there is room for improvement. “There are a lot of health care professionals who still don't understand that it's a patient safety issue,” he noted. “And among some health care professionals, there is that persistent myth that you can get the flu from the flu vaccine, which is incorrect,” he said.Leadership from the top is essential to improving vaccination rates in health care professionals, Dr. Schaffner said. For example, “A strong senior administrator who makes it clear that we are going to make our hospital environment absolutely as safe as possible for our patients,” which means that flu vaccination is expected, “is essential for increasing flu vaccination among health care professionals,” he said.To help encourage vaccination this year, the NFID introduced a “leading by example” initiative that calls on health care professionals as well as community and business leaders to get vaccinated themselves as an example to their employees and colleagues.Dr. Frieden set an example by getting his flu shot live during the press conference. “It didn't hurt a bit,” he said.The press conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. For the latest information on the 2011–2012 flu season, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/ or www.flu.gov.Heidi Splete is a senior writer with Elsevier Global Medical News. This year, there are four types of flu vaccine available: the traditional intramuscular injection, a nasal spray, a high-dose injection for adults aged 65 years and older, and a new intradermal vaccine featuring a barely noticeable needle. The intradermal vaccine is approved for use only in individuals aged 18–64 years. William Schaffner, MD, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), noted that vaccination rates are up among health care workers and that doctors are getting better about recommending flu vaccination to their patients. A total of 68% of adults said that a health care professional recommended that they get a flu vaccination this year, up from 58% in 2010 and 38% in 2008, according to a nationwide telephone survey of 1,006 adults conducted by the NFID. Approximately 60% of adults who were vaccinated last year said that they did so because a health care professional specifically recommended it. Vaccination rates in health care professionals themselves are up approximately 63% from last year, Dr. Schaffner said, but there is room for improvement. “There are a lot of health care professionals who still don't understand that it's a patient safety issue,” he noted. “And among some health care professionals, there is that persistent myth that you can get the flu from the flu vaccine, which is incorrect,” he said. Leadership from the top is essential to improving vaccination rates in health care professionals, Dr. Schaffner said. For example, “A strong senior administrator who makes it clear that we are going to make our hospital environment absolutely as safe as possible for our patients,” which means that flu vaccination is expected, “is essential for increasing flu vaccination among health care professionals,” he said. To help encourage vaccination this year, the NFID introduced a “leading by example” initiative that calls on health care professionals as well as community and business leaders to get vaccinated themselves as an example to their employees and colleagues. Dr. Frieden set an example by getting his flu shot live during the press conference. “It didn't hurt a bit,” he said. The press conference was sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. For the latest information on the 2011–2012 flu season, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/ or www.flu.gov. Heidi Splete is a senior writer with Elsevier Global Medical News.