Get Fluless! Protect Yourself & Your Community
At Jarlette Health Services, our core values encompass our responsibility, commitment and passion for providing safe and quality care for our residents. We strive to do the right thing and make a difference in the lives of others. As we work with the vulnerable peoples of our communities, it is especially important to us to make sure that we join the Fluless Movement and be vaccinated against Influenza.
Annually we hold a competition within our long-term care homes as well as our corporate head office to help drive our vaccination rates. Our Flu Cup Challenge will be commencing next week and we're hoping that everyone gets on board this year to beat last year's percentages. Out of the 12 long-term homes that participated, the top 3 homes all had over 92% of their staff immunized!
For the first time ever our Retirement division will also be holding an Influenza challenge by which we hope to increase our vaccination rates to the target of at least 90% for all residents and staff. This is an opportunity for our residents and staff members to show their commitment in fighting the flu and keeping everyone safe.
This year we anticipate a paticularly bad year for flu as reported by The Waterloo Regional Record. We advocate any initiative that can help limit the spread of Influenza and the H3N2 strain to our elderly community. Below are some facts and responses from Dr. David L. Mowat, Interim Chief Medical Officer of Health in Ontario at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care of Ontario.
Why We Urge You To Get The Flu Shot
By Dr. David L. Mowat, Interim Chief Medical Officer of Health
The flu kills more people than any other vaccine-preventable disease in Canada and that is a tragedy.
Approximately 2,000 Canadians die every year from the (seasonal) flu and its complications, and in Ontario, the flu leads to 1,000 hospitalizations, 200,000 visits to health care provider offices and 300 deaths a year. Several clinical trials show that when health care workers were vaccinated against the flu, the incidence of death in the patients they cared for was reduced.
The flu shot is the most effective way to prevent flu.
There is some evidence that hand washing, sneezing or coughing into your sleeve and staying home when you are ill reduces the risk of spreading the flu, but it’s not enough. Vaccination is more effective, and thus more important. Infection prevention and control is an essential part of patient care and every health care worker plays a vital role in minimizing the risk of cross infection to someone in their care. And of course getting the flu shot protects you and your family. It also protects your patients, many of whom are at high risk of serious complications from the flu.
The flu shot is safe and effective.
In Canada, all vaccines, including the flu vaccine, are highly regulated. In Ontario, the flu vaccine safety and adverse events are monitored on an ongoing basis by Public Health Ontario and reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The flu vaccine has been around for more than 50 years and millions of shots have been given safely.
While effectiveness varies depending on the individual, studies show that flu vaccination benefits public health, especially when the flu vaccine is well matched to circulating flu viruses. And if you do get the flu after you get the flu shot, you won’t be as sick. The flu shot is well tolerated; for a small percentage of people, there are side effects, but the risk of adverse side effects from the flu vaccine is significantly less than the adverse effects from the flu itself.
The flu shot provides protection for patients.
By protecting yourself from the flu by getting the vaccination, you are also helping to protect those who are at increased risk for influenza and its complications, such as young children between 6 to 23 months and those with chronic illness.
The evidence speaks loudly. Get the flu shot and protect everyone around you. Join your colleagues and the larger health care community to help keep your workplace “fluless” this year and reduce the spread of influenza within your institution.
