More than 78 percent of health care personnel receive flu shot

(HealthDay)—More than 78 percent of health care personnel (HCP) and 53.6 percent of pregnant women received influenza vaccination during the 2016-2017 influenza season, according to two studies published in the Sept. 29 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Carla L. Black, Ph.D., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and colleagues surveyed 2,438 HCP to estimate influenza vaccination coverage. The researchers found that during the 2016-2017 season, 78.6 percent of survey respondents reported receiving vaccination, similar to reported coverage in the previous three seasons. Coverage was highest for those working in hospitals compared with those working in ambulatory or long-term-care settings (92.3 versus 76.1 and 68 percent) and for those who were required by their employer to be vaccinated (96.7 percent), as in previous seasons.

Helen Ding, M.D., from the CDC, and colleagues surveyed 1,893 women pregnant at any time during October 2016 to January 2017. The researchers found that 53.6 percent of respondents reported having received influenza vaccination before or during pregnancy (16.2 and 37.4 percent, respectively); this was similar to coverage during the previous four influenza seasons. Overall, 67.3, 11.9, and 20.7 percent of women reported receiving a provider offer for influenza vaccination, receiving a recommendation but no offer, and receiving no recommendation, respectively, similar to the previous influenza season; influenza vaccination coverage was 70.5, 43.7, and 14.8 percent, respectively, among these women.

"Use of evidence-based practices such as provider reminders and standing orders could reduce missed opportunities for vaccination and increase vaccination coverage among pregnant women," Ding and colleagues write.