Interventions needed to improve influenza vaccination among HCWs

Improving influenza vaccination rates among health care workers will take a number of interventions, including consequences for not receiving the vaccine, researchers reported in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. “Influenza vaccination in health care workers (HCWs) can be improved, but it will take coordinated interventions that make it easier for them to receive the vaccine and consequences, such as wearing masks on patient contact, if the vaccine is not accepted,” Rodolfo Bégué, MD, of Louisiana State University and Children’s Hospital, New Orleans, told Infectious Disease News. “All of this requires cooperation between hospital leaders and employees.” Bégué and colleagues administered surveys to hospitals in Louisiana to find out information on the hospitals’vaccination campaigns, vaccination rates and their future plans. They received 124 responses representing 153 hospitals. Among the responding hospitals, 44 had a voluntary influenza vaccination program and 79 required signed forms from employees declining the vaccine. Vaccines were provided for free...