Is There a Case for Mandating Influenza Vaccination in Healthcare Workers?

A vaccine is the most effective form of prevention. In the case of influenza, a vaccine can cut your risk of developing the disease by up to 90 percent, depending on a variety of factors, including the effectiveness of the vaccine that year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) recommend that all U.S. health care professionals get vaccinated annually against influenza.

Mandatory vaccination is a controversial strategy that pits health care professional and personal autonomy against patient/public safety and employee relations. Administrators planning to implement mandatory influenza vaccination policies for health care professionals must understand the implications involved in these policies.

To prepare for this Discussion, review the peer-reviewed, professional journal articles and news article in this week’s Learning Resources, describing a dispute involving a health care facility’s mandatory vaccination or mask for seasonal flu. Select one of these articles for the Discussion, or find one of your own in a peer-reviewed journal or on the Internet. This dispute may involve an individual health care provider or facility.

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