VHCA-VCAL joined with a diverse group of health care stakeholders and state health officials strongly urging Virginians to get a flu shot each year to help protect themselves and others.  With the flu season underway, the Virginia Department of Health encourages all people in Virginia six months and older to receive their annual influenza vaccine. 

Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey, MD and State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA led a press conference on October 3, 2018 on the importance of flu vaccination. 

In addition to Sec.Carey and Commissioner Oliver, a diverse group of health care stakeholders who are active with Virginia’s Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Advisory Group strongly urge Virginians to get a flu shot each year to help protect themselves and others. The organizations that endorse taking that personal health precaution include APIC Virginia, Health Quality Innovators, Leading Age Virginia, Medarva Healthcare, the Medical Society of Virginia, Quality Insights – the Mid-Atlantic Renal Coalition, the Stewardship Interest Group of Virginia, VDH, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Virginia Health Care Association-Virginia Center for Assisted Living, the Virginia Pharmacists Association, and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. These groups encourage members of the public and health care professionals to get a flu shot.

As a reminder, AMDA (The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine) encourages post-acute and long term care facilities to strengthen their employee immunization programs to protect employees and patients. Likewise, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to emphasize that for the 2018-19 influenza season, vaccination to prevent flu is particularly important for persons who live in nursing homes or other long term care communities, those with chronic conditions, and the individuals who care for care for such persons.

Additional Resources
AMAD and CDC Issue Influenza Vaccine Recommendations for 2018-19