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Flu Information for Healthcare Workers

The CDC is encouraging healthcare workers to get vaccinated for flu each year. The current trivalent vaccine protects against three influenza viruses that will be most common this season: Influenza A (H1N1) virus, Influenza A (H3N2) virus, and Influenza B virus.

The current available flu vaccine in the DMC is the trivalent vaccine which protects against the three viruses mentioned above. In addition, for adults 65 years and older high dose trivalent vaccine is available. Other recommended vaccines this season are the adjuvant trivalent vaccines, quadrivalent vaccines given by intramuscular and intradermal routes and recombinant influenza vaccines.  The quadrivalent vaccines protect against the same viruses as the trivalent vaccine as well as an additional influenza B virus.

There are multiple flu vaccines available and not all flu vaccines can be given to people of all ages. In addition, the LIVE ATTENUATED INFLUENZA VACCINE is not recommended for use in any population for 2017-18. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions regarding which flu vaccine options are best for you and your family.

DMC employees need to get the flu vaccination as soon as it is available in early fall for optimal protection. The available vaccine is the inactivated trivalent vaccine.

GETTING VACCINATED EARLY IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

- It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body.

Consistent with policy and our commitment to patient safety, DMC requires that all DMC employees, medical staff, volunteers and students working in hospitals and other DMC facilities are annually vaccinated against influenza ("the flu").

 This policy is designed foremost to PROTECT OUR PATIENTS. Additionally, this fulfills CDC, The Joint Commission, other regulatory agency and national professional society patient safety recommendations. We also benefit because this will help to protect us and our families from influenza illness.

  • According to the CDC, influenza is a serious disease that results in >200,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 to 30,000 deaths annually.
  • Hospital patients are at risk for serious, even fatal, complications if exposed to healthcare workers infected with flu.
  • Flu can be spread even the day before symptoms become apparent.
  • The flu vaccine is effective and safe.
  • Serious side effects are rare; not being vaccinated is a far greater risk.

The flu vaccine will be provided at no cost to DMC employees, medical staff, students and volunteers through mass vaccination clinics, roving/unit-based vaccinators, and on a walk-in basis at Occupational Health Services (see list below). Be sure to bring your DMC ID badge, and for DMC employees, also bring your employee ID number. It may be helpful to wear short sleeves.

If you have received your flu vaccination at an outside facility, or have allergy to the vaccine, please provide documentation (from your vaccine provider or physician) to Occupational Health Services as soon as possible but no later than October 30, 2017.

Vaccine status will be identified by a “17” flu badge sticker. Please remove your 2016 badge sticker at this time. If you are vaccinated elsewhere, you can obtain this year's flu badge sticker from Occupational Health Services upon presentation of valid documentation of your vaccination.

Additional authoritative information regarding the flu vaccine can be found at www.cdc.gov/flu.

Vaccination Attestation Form

Physicians who are members of DMC Medical Staff who must provide a Vaccination Attestation Form can complete and submit one at this link (This form is located on the DMC Intraweb; users will need to have a DMC-supplied username/password. Only physicians can complete self-attestation forms.)

Vaccine Administration Sites at the DMC

Walk-ins welcome at DMC Occupational Health Services (UHC, SGH and HVSH) beginning Tuesday, September 20, 2017

Central Campus – University Health Center 4K:
7 a.m. – 4 p.m. (M-F)
(313) 745-4522

DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital – 2 Main West:
7 a.m.  – 10:30 a.m. & noon – 3:00 p.m. (M-F)
(313) 966-4807

DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital  - Ground Floor:
7 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. (M-F)

(248) 937-3495

Inpatient Vaccination for Patients

The vaccine will be offered to all patients admitted to DMC between September 2017 to April 2018, unless contraindicated.

Children six months through eight years of age may need two doses of flu vaccine. Children in this age group who receive vaccination for the first time, or who have received less than total of two doses of trivalent or quadrivalent influenza vaccine before July 1, 2017 require two doses for the 2017-2018 season. The interval between the two doses should be at least four weeks.

For the latest information for healthcare professionals, please follow the following link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ Information for Healthcare Professionals or Vaccination for Healthcare Workers.

Infection Control/Precautionary Measures for Healthcare Workers

DMC Infection Control Precautions for Flu

N95 Respirators, Fit Testing and Respirator Certification

Workplace Exposure to Flu Guidelines for DMC Employees

Other reference material:

CDC Influenza Treatment Guidelines