Is the Tide Turning on Mandatory Flu Vaccination for Healthcare Workers?

Because of the concern that patients could acquire influenza in healthcare settings, for decades the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that healthcare workers (HCWs) receive the influenza vaccine annually, a position supported by multiple other national organizations. Recent data indicate that HCW vaccination rates are higher in institutions with programs mandating HCW influenza immunization. To assess whether this information is leading institutions to change their approach to promoting HCW influenza immunization, researchers performed national surveys of infection control practitioners in 2013 and 2017, asking whether their hospitals have mandatory HCW influenza immunization programs.

Information was obtained from …