Last week, the Acting Commissioner of Public Health Margret Cooke signed an Order requiring certain personnel to be vaccinated against influenza virus. All long-term care facilities licensed pursuant to G.L. c 111, § 71 must ensure that all personnel are vaccinated against influenza virus by December 31, 2020, unless such administration is medically contraindicated or vaccination is against the individual’s religious beliefs. Personnel -an individual or individuals employed by or affiliated with the facility, whether directly, by contract with another entity, or as an independent contractor, paid or unpaid including, but not limited to, employees, members of the medical staff, contract employees or staff, students, and volunteers who either work at or come to the licensed facility site, whether or not such individual(s) provide direct care - may not otherwise decline the vaccine. DPH is working on guidance for nursing homes on compliance with the requirement for mandatory flu vaccination of personnel.
Mass Senior Care Association has launched a Fight the Flu campaign to provide facilities with resources and strategies to effectively implement a facility-wide flu vaccination program. Also, if you have not yet completed Mass Senior Care’s brief flu vaccination survey, please click here to access the survey.