November 01, 2023
Page 9
Flu Vaccination Rates Remain Low!
OHA data show
rates slow to
recover after
big drop during
pandemic
Influenza vaccination rates
among Oregon’s health care per-
sonnel have not recovered from
significant declines suffered
during the COVID-19 pandem-
ic, new Oregon Health Authority
(OHA) data show. According to
the Healthcare Worker Influenza
Vaccination Dashboard published
by OHA’s Healthcare-Associated
Infections (HAI) Program, 64%
of the state’s eligible health care
workers from all facility types
were vaccinated against the flu
during the 2022-2023 flu season.
This is similar to the 2021-2022
flu season rate of 63% -- a con-
cern for state officials trying to
prevent the virus’s spread to peo-
ple most at risk of severe illness
and death.
The influenza vaccination rate
among eligible health care work-
ers had dropped by 25% between
the 2019-2020 and 2022-2023
A pharmacist administers a Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine at a drug store, Wednesday, Sept.
20, 2023, in Cypress, Texas. Fall 2023 vaccination season is in full swing, with health officials in
the U.S. urging both an updated COVID-19 shot and flu vaccine for most everyone. New this year are
vaccines for older adults and women in late pregnancy to guard against another virus named RSV.
(Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP)
influenza seasons. “Health care
workers are the first line of de-
fense in protecting vulnerable
patients and preventing a severe
respiratory virus season from
becoming a catastrophic one,”
said Rebecca Pierce, Ph.D., HAI
Program manager. “That’s why
influenza vaccination of health
care workers is a key strategy
for infection control in health
care facilities.”
OHA requires annual report-
ing of health care worker influ-
enza vaccination data from four
facility types – ambulatory sur-
gery centers, dialysis centers,
hospitals (including inpatient
psychiatric facilities) and nurs-
ing facilities.“Influenza vacci-
nations among health care work-
ers were significantly impacted
during the pandemic, which is
likely reflective of historically
low rates of influenza during the
2020-2021 and 2021-2022 flu
seasons,” Pierce said. “However,
flu transmission has returned to
pre-pandemic levels. It’s import-
ant that we focus on rebuilding
flu vaccination rates for this crit-
ical, front-line workforce.”
The proportion of eligible
health care workers who de-
clined flu vaccination has in-
creased over the years. For the
2022-2023 flu season, 15% de-
clined, compared to 11% for
the 2021-2022 season. The U.S.
Department of Health and Hu-
man Services developed Healthy
People 2020 with 10-year objec-
tives for improving the health of
all Americans, including show-
ing progress toward a 90% in-
fluenza vaccination goal for the
health care workforce. However,
because Healthy People 2030
does not include a goal focused
on increasing flu vaccinations
among health care workers, Ore-
gon continues to use the Healthy
People 2020 goal as a way of di-
recting public health action and
showing where more support
and education is needed.
To achieve 90% influenza vacci-
nation coverage, Pierce said there
are important steps health care
facilities can take. Among public
health recommendations is en-
couraging health care workers, in-
cluding those not employed by the
facility—contractors and volun-
teers—to get vaccinated at the be-
ginning of every influenza season.
Questions about your health care?
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211 NW Davis St, Portland
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247 SE 82nd Ave, Portland
Clark Center (for residents only)
9-10:30 a.m.
1437 SE MLK Blvd, Portland
Mobile Showers
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
4244 SE 91st Ave, Portland
NOVEMBER 6
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12-2:30 p.m.
610 NW Broadway St, Portland
Street Roots
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211 NW Davis St, Portland
Mobile Showers
12-2 p.m.
247 SE 82nd Ave, Portland
NOVEMBER 7
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Resource Center
9-11 a.m.
650 NW Irving St, Portland
River District Navigation Center
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11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1111 NW Naito Pkwy, Portland
Jean’s Place (for residents only)
1:30-3:30 p.m.
18 NE 11th Ave, Portland
Union Gospel Mission
2-3 p.m.
3 NW 3rd Ave, Portland
NOVEMBER 20
Doreen’s Place (for residents only)
12-2:30 p.m.
610 NW Broadway St, Portland
NOVEMBER 21
Union Gospel Mission
2-3 p.m.
3 NW 3rd Ave, Portland
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