Penn State Health activates influenza policy
The 2019-2020 influenza season has officially begun. An increasing number of patients in our local area have had confirmed influenza illness recently.
The transmission of influenza in health care settings is a real problem that kills vulnerable people. We are counting on our community to do their part to ensure the safety of our patients, visitors, staff and faculty. Here’s what you need to know:
What: The influenza policy has been activated.
Why: While flu vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year, it remains the best way to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications. Influenza can spread easily from person-to-person and cause serious and even fatal disease.
Who: Our policy strongly recommends that health care providers be vaccinated except in the unusual circumstance of a medical contraindication.
Next: Flu vaccine, including egg-free, is available in Employee Health (Employee Health). If you have not yet been vaccinated, employees can call EH (x8280) to schedule an appointment. You may also walk in (Hershey Medical Center, H1507) but please try to call ahead. If you have been vaccinated elsewhere please bring documentation of the vaccination to Employee Health to receive a sticker for your ID badge.
If you do not have a BLUE 19/20 flu vaccine sticker on your ID badge indicating receipt of this season’s influenza vaccine, you now must wear a surgical mask when within 6 feet of a patient during inpatient and outpatient clinical encounters. Masks are not required in hallways, elevators or the cafeteria.
Antiviral medications: Antiviral treatment can be considered for any person, even previously healthy persons, with confirmed or suspected influenza.
However, treatment is recommended, and influenza testing should be considered, for specific circumstances and patient conditions. These include patients with confirmed or suspected influenza who:
- are hospitalized
- have severe, complicated, or progressive illness
- are at higher risk for influenza complications (children younger than 2 years old; adults older than 65 years)
- persons with chronic illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, renal disease, liver disease, diabetes, hematologic disease, neurologic disease, immunosuppression, pregnant women and within two weeks postpartum; American Indians/Alaska Natives
- morbidly obese persons (Body Mass Index greater than 40)
- age younger than 19 years on chronic acetylsalicylic acid therapy
- residents of skilled nursing facilities/long-term care facilities
The greatest benefit is when treatment is started within 48 hours of onset. However, when given after 48 hours from illness onset, antiviral therapy may still be beneficial in patients with underlying illnesses, severe, complicated or progressive influenza illness and in hospitalized patients. Decisions about starting antiviral treatment should NOT wait for laboratory confirmation of influenza.
Also:
- Frequent hand hygiene is very important to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Droplet precautions should be used for all patients with suspected or confirmed influenza.
- Employees with influenza-like illness should call their primary care provider and should not report to work until at least 24 hours after their fever has resolved.
More information:
- cdc.gov/flu/about/season/health-care-professionals.htm
- cdc.gov/flu/professionals/index.htm
- cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/index.htm
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