title: How to improve influenza vaccine coverage of healthcare personnel.
abstract: Influenza causes substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Healthcare-associated influenza is a frequent event. Health care personnel (HCP) may be the source for infecting patients and may propagate nosocomial outbreaks. All HCP should receive a dose of influenza vaccine each year to protect themselves and others. This commentary will discuss the study recently published in the IJHPR by Nutman and Yoeli which assessed the beliefs and attitudes of HCP in an Israel hospital regarding influenza and the influenza vaccine. Unfortunately, as noted by Nutman and Yoeli in this issue many HCP in Israel choose not to receive influenza immunization and many harbor misconceptions regarding their risk for influenza as well as the benefits of influenza vaccine. We also discuss proven methods to increase acceptance by HCP for receiving an annual influenza vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, 2163 Bioinformatics, CB #7030, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030 USA ; Division of Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Orenstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, 2163 Bioinformatics, CB #7030, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030 USA ; Division of Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC USA.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rutala
keywords: Healthcare personnel; Influenza; Occupational health; Vaccines