UCSF Issues Influenza Vaccination Policy & Program Update

The seasonal flu shot outreach clinics continue this week at several UCSF locations and the response has been outstanding so far, according to UCSF flu advisory experts.

“By participating in the vaccination program, the UCSF community has demonstrated its commitment to protecting our patients and community, preventing flu-related deaths, and keeping our health care system functioning during the influenza season,” says Susan Garritson, coordinator for the UCSF Occupational Health Program. 

Flu shots are available at no cost to any member of the UCSF community with a UCSF ID badge. See the seasonal flu shot schedule here.

The flu shot program complies with California Health and Safety Code Section 1288.7(a) which requires hospitals to annually offer free onsite flu shots to their employees and which requires employees who decline the flu shot to complete a written declination. Declination information is available here.

This vaccination/declination requirement applies to all UCSF personnel who work in the medical center, including campus personnel. The California Department of Public Health has advised that the declination policy also applies to the H1N1 flu vaccination. 

A red dot sticker will be placed on ID badges to indicate that the seasonal flu shot was given. The H1N1 vaccination will be denoted with a blue sticker dot. Anyone without both dots will be required to wear a protective mask, supplied by UCSF, while in medical center patient care areas — places where patients are seen, evaluated and treated. 

The implementation date for the declination/mask policy will be determined by Josh Adler, MD, chief medical officer of UCSF Medical Center. The timing of implementation will take into consideration the availability of vaccination resources and current experience of influenza in the patient population and community, according to Garritson. 

The red and blue dots are also being used by the UCSF-affiliated San Francisco General Hospital and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center flu vaccination programs to support a consistent vaccination identification scheme for UCSF personnel who rotate across these locations.

The declination and mask policy does not apply to campus programs outside UCSF Medical Center though campus-based clinical programs may elect to implement this policy if it is determined to support their program operations.  This information is presented in the new UCSF Influenza Vaccination Policy, which is now available here.

H1N1 Vaccine

San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) has advised UCSF that deliveries of H1N1 vaccine to San Francisco health care providers may begin the week of October 26. The DPH indicates that one dose of H1N1 vaccine is likely to be the official recommendation for persons 10 years and older. Children less than 10 years old are likely to need two doses separated by 3 to 4 weeks, according to Garritson. 

H1N1 vaccinations are available as injection or intranasal spray. Initially, the vaccination supply will be limited, but deliveries of additional vaccine are expected on a weekly basis. 

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has recommended the following priority groups to receive vaccination during the preliminary limited supply phase of H1N1 vaccine:

1. Health care providers to infants under 6 months of age
2. Children from 6 months to 24 years old
3. Pregnant women
4. Health care providers
5. Individuals 25 to 64 years old who have underlying medical conditions

Health care personnel are identified as a CDC-recommended priority and UCSF Occupational Health Services (OHS) plans to provide H1N1 vaccination to this priority group during the period of limited supply, according to Garritson. 

Ample supply of H1N1 vaccine supply is expected to be available over the course of the flu season and any member of the UCSF community with a UCSF ID badge will eventually be able to receive H1N1 vaccination from OHS as the supply becomes available. 

Personnel who are not initially eligible for vaccination from OHS because they do not meet the health care occupational qualification, but who do qualify for H1N1 vaccination by virtue of individual risk factors (pregnancy, caregiver to a child less than 6 months of age, 25-64 years of age with multiple medical conditions) should contact their primary care provider or a public health clinic to receive vaccination in the priority status.

Information about H1N1 vaccination services will be announced through multiple UCSF communications mechanisms including UCSF Today, the UCSF Health and Safety listserv, Occupational Health Program website, and medical center communications.

Please contact the UCSF Occupational Health Services [email protected] for any questions.

Related Links:

UCSF Occupational Health Services Flu Facts