Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2021
The implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination policies among healthcare personnel (HCP) is controversial. Thus, we examined the affect of mandatory influenza vaccination policies among HCP working in outpatient settings.
Four Veterans’ Affairs (VA) health systems and three non-VA medical centers.
We analyzed rates of influenza and other viral causes of respiratory infections among HCP working in outpatient sites at 4 VA health systems without mandatory influenza vaccination policies and 3 non-VA health systems with mandatory influenza vaccination policies.
Influenza vaccination was associated with a decreased risk of influenza (odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13–0.22) but an increased risk of other respiratory viral infections (incidence rate ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.02–1.57).
Our fitted regression models suggest that if influenza vaccination rates in clinics where vaccination was not mandated had equalled those where vaccine was mandated, HCP influenza infections would have been reduced by 52.1% (95% CI, 51.3%–53.0%). These observations, their possible causes, and additional strategies to reduce influenza and other viral respiratory illnesses among HCP working in ambulatory clinics warrant further investigation.
The ResPECT Team: The Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD): Trish Perl, MD, MSc; Justin Getka, BA; Tina Hoang, MS; Rose Kajih, PharmD; Amanda Krosche, BS; Meghan Kubala, MS, MD; Jenna Los, MLA; Liandra Presser, MD; Kathleen Pulice, MS; Margaret Spach, DDS. VA New York Harbor Healthcare System (New York, NY): Michael S. Simberkoff, MD; Cynthia Akagbosu, BA, MA; Madeline Dansky, BA; Benedict J. Frederick, BA; Marilyn Last, RN; Scott Laverie, RN; Courtney Pike, BA; Shefali Rikhi, BS; Nicole Spector, RN; Christine A. Reel-Brander, RN. Denver Health & Hospital Authority (Denver, CO): Connie Price, MD; Katie Gorman, BS; Amy Irwin, DNP, RN; Sean O’Malley; Kevin Silva, BS. UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas, TX): Trish M. Perl, MD, MSc; Deepa Raj, MPH. VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (Denver, CO): Mary Bessesen, MD; Jill C. Adams, BSN, BA; Shannon Kingery, BS; Stefanie Tuder, BS; Erron Fruchter-Palmer, MPH. Children’s Hospital Colorado (Denver, CO): Ann-Christine Nyquist, MD, MSPH; Megan Brocato, BA. VA Washington DC Medical Center (Washington, DC): Cynthia Gibert, MD, MSc; Laura Chopko, BA; Kathy Haines, MSW, MPH; Caitlin Langhorne, MPH; Dana Silver, BA; Courtney Southard, MPH. VA Michael C. DeBakey Medical Center (Houston, TX): Maria C. Rodriguez-Barradas, MD; Barbara Kertz, MS; Mahwish Mushtaq, MD, MPH; Blanca Vargas, MD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (Pittsburgh, PA): Edward Fisher, MS; Ronald Shaffer, PhD; Lewis J. Radonovich, MD. Veterans’ Health Administration Office of Public Health (Gainesville, FL): Aaron Eagan, MPH, RN. HandyMetrics Corporation (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Melanie Lipka, BS; Michael Tsang, PhD. Laboratory Core at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD): Charlotte Gaydos, DrPH, Jeffrey Holden, MA; Alexandra Valsamakis, MD, PhD. Laboratory Core at VA St. Louis Health Care System and St. Louis University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO): Geoffrey J. Gorse, MD; Michelle Mitchell, BS; Gira B. Patel, MS; Yinyi Yu, BS, Tamara Blevins, MS. REDCap Core at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD): Andre Hackman, BA, Michael Sherman, BS. Statistical and Epidemiologic Core (University of Florida, Gainesville, FL):