The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology has published a paper recommending mandatory influenza immunization as a condition of employment within healthcare facilities.
The position paper, "Influenza Vaccination Should Be a Condition of Employment for Healthcare Personnel, Unless Medically Contraindicated (pdf)," is in response to the low rates of influenza immunization among healthcare personnel nationwide, according to a news release from APIC, which also acknowledged the current policy of voluntary vaccination has not been effective and healthcare personnel have not achieved acceptable vaccination rates.
"We took a firmer stance on this issue because it is clear that voluntary efforts are not working," said Linda R. Greene, RN, MPS, CIC, lead author of the position paper and director of infection prevention and control at Rochester General Health System. "Several studies now demonstrate that influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel reduces patient mortality. As infection preventionists, we have an ethical responsibility to protect those individuals entrusted to our care. We must do a better job of immunizing healthcare workers every year to ensure patient safety and protect those individuals at high risk of developing complications of influenza."
Read more about the APIC position on influenza immunization (pdf).
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