Influenza: The reasons are all around you
02/20/18 03:02:pm
This year the CDC projects between nine and 35 million cases of influenza will occur causing up to 56,000 deaths. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent unnecessary deaths and the spread of this preventable disease. When you receive an influenza vaccine, you get immunity to specific A & B strains that will last you for four to 10 years. That immunity will help you for the current season and future years to possibly prevent influenza all together, but most importantly reduce the severity and duration of symptoms should you be exposed.
This year Rogers raised the bar to keep our patients, families, employees, and visitors safe and healthy by requiring influenza vaccination for all employees, students, and volunteers. With this change, our employee vaccination rate went from 26% last year to 93% this year. The Joint Commission standards, which Rogers complies with, requires healthcare personnel to have a vaccination rate of 90% by the year 2020 and thereafter.
Influenza has and will continue to annually cause illness and deaths across the world. In order to prevent it, we can all do our part by receiving the annual influenza vaccine, washing our hands, eating healthy, and washing our hands. Stay healthy!
