Risks From LTC Workers Without Flu Vaccine Are “Exaggerated”
Investigators suggest that the research behind mandatory influenza vaccine policies for health care workers may be based on insufficient data and may exaggerate the risk unvaccinated employees pose to patients (published online January 27, 2017; PLOS One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163586.s001).
Scientists from the National Institute of Public Health, Quebec, and Laval University (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) analyzed 4 previous studies of vaccination policies in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) to determine how the research findings backed up widely accepted “expansive” mandatory vaccination rules. In the analysis, the studied research would have to demonstrate “patient benefit substantial enough to justify infringement of the personal rights” of health care workers.
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According to the scientists, the previous research attributed “implausibly large reductions” in patients’ flu risks to workers receiving the vaccination. None of the studies were conducted in hospitals—even though policies stemming from the research have spread to hospitals and other settings—all took place in LTCFs. One of the studies, from Britain, calculated that one influenza death would be averted for every eight staff members vaccinated.
If this finding were applied to the approximately 1.7 million LTC workers in the United States, it would mean 212,500 resident deaths could be prevented annually through worker vaccinations. Yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that only 3000-49,000 flu deaths occur each year. (eg, STAT. January 27, 2017).
Authors were careful to comment that their study does not definitively refute that flu vaccination may have an impact on reducing flu transmissions between workers and patients, but it shows that there has not been a well-conducted study at this time.—Amanda Del Signore
