grams, including offering vaccination onsite and promoting healthcare worker

participation.

Who else needs to be vaccinated

Individuals at high risk for flu complications,

and their close contacts, should be vaccinated yearly. People at high risk include children

between the ages of 6 months and 5 years,

adults over 50, individuals with certain medical conditions, pregnant women, and people

in long-term care facilities and nursing

homes. Anyone caring for these individuals

should also be vaccinated.

Dispelling influenza vaccine myths

Influenza vaccination is highly effective and

adverse effects are rare. Protection usually

develops within two weeks of vaccination

which is recommended in October or

November. The vaccine does not cause the

flu. There is an injection and a nasal spray

vaccination available. Healthcare workers

should consult with their employer to find out

which vaccination is used in their healthcare

setting, where and when to get vaccinated,

and whether the employer provides free vaccinations. Increasingly, employers in healthcare settings are making the vaccine conveniently available to employees during their

normal work shifts.

If you decide not to be vaccinated

Employees increase their risk of contracting

the flu if they decide to decline vaccination.

Influenza vaccination has been determined to

be an important protection for healthcare

workers because they have a greater risk of

How influenza spreads

Influenza is easily spread from person to

person through coughing and sneezing, and

those infected can be contagious before any

signs of the flu are present. Young children,

the elderly, and those with chronic health

problems are at particular risk for severe

complications from the flu.

Reasons for healthcare workers

to be vaccinated

Healthcare workers are at high risk for contracting influenza through their exposure to

high risk patients. The CDC has classified

healthcare workers as a high priority group

for yearly vaccinations that are highly effective at preventing influenza. Not only are

healthcare workers in danger of contracting

influenza, they can also spread the illness to

their family and to patients.

Employers have a duty to create a safe work

environment. Encouraging influenza vaccination for their healthcare employees is one

method of doing this. The current rate of

influenza vaccination among healthcare

workers is disappointing, and increasing this

rate could significantly enhance healthcare

worker safety and increase their productivity.

JCAHO accreditation

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) acknowledges that influenza immunization of healthcare workers is of vital importance. On

January 1, 2007, JCAHO began requiring, as

part of their accreditation process, that

organizations institute annual influenza proFactSheet

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination – Important

Protection for Healthcare Workers

Influenza (flu) is a contagious viral respiratory disease that peaks in the winter

months. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

influenza causes approximately 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths in

the U.S. each year.
exposure. In addition, healthcare workers can

pass the virus to vulnerable patients and take

the infection home to their families.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of

compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

How to get more information

OSHA’s website provides this document and

other information at www.osha.gov.

Additional guidance on influenza vaccination

for healthcare workers is available on the CDC

website at www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination.

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

(800) 321-OSHA

For more complete information:

DSTM 11/2007