Influenza Vaccination of Health-Care Personnel – Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) (United States)

The report summarizes recommendations of HICPAC and ACIP concerning influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel (HCP) in the United States. The report reviews transmission of influenza in healthcare settings, strategies for improving HCP vaccination rates, recommendations for use of inactivated influenza vaccine and recommendations for prioritisation of influenza vaccination during the 2005-06 influenza season The recommendations include: - · Educating HCP regarding the benefits of influenza vaccination and the potential health consequences of influenza for themselves their patients, the epidemiology and modes of transmission, diagnosis, treatment and nonvaccine infection control strategies in line with their level of responsibility in preventing healthcare associated infection · Provision of cost free, flu vaccine to HCP’s at the workplace and signed declaration if not taken up · Monitoring of HCP flu vaccination coverage · Use of HCP flu vaccination coverage as one measure of a patient safety quality programme HICPAC and ACIP recommend that all HCP should be vaccinated annually against influenza, and that facilities that employ HCP are strongly encouraged to provide vaccine to their staff by using evidence based approaches that maximize vaccination rates.