The latest Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program Newsletter from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) encourages providers to prepare for influenza season.  Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the disease. 

The agency has also partnered with health care stakeholders to issue the 2017 Consensus Statement on the Annual Vaccination of Healthcare Workers for Influenza Prevention. The Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group urges health care employers to use these influenza prevention strategies:

• Promote vaccination annually as a part of a comprehensive infection prevention plan.
• Support vaccination efforts with education on the benefits of vaccination, risks and burden of influenza, and information to dispel common myths and misconceptions.
• Offer vaccination at the workplace in a variety of times and places, and free of charge if possible.

Commissioner Dr. Marissa Levine has also issued recent Clinician Letters on respiratory illness prevention and control, significant increase in syphilis diagnoses, and update on the Zika virus.

Additional Resources

• VDH Influenza website
• VDH Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIS) website
• HAI Annual Report for Virginia hospital-level data on healthcare worker influenza vaccination
• CDC Influenza Vaccination Information for Health Care Workers