High influenza vaccination uptake in Victorian healthcare workers in 2020

Authors

  • Lyn-li Lim Victorian Healthcare Associated Infections Surveillance (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre, The Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
  • Alex J Hoskins Victorian Healthcare Associated Infections Surveillance (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre, The Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  • Leon J Worth Victorian Healthcare Associated Infections Surveillance (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre, The Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
  • Katherine C Walker Victorian Healthcare Associated Infections Surveillance (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre
  • Ann L Bull Victorian Healthcare Associated Infections Surveillance (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre
  • Noleen Bennett Victorian Healthcare Associated Infections Surveillance (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre, The Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2021.45.37

Keywords:

Influenza vaccination uptake, Healthcare workers, National Immunisation Program, Victoria

Abstract

Beard et al.1 recently reported increases in annual influenza vaccination rates in 2020 for groups funded by the National Immunisation Program. Achieving high uptake of influenza vaccination in health care workers (HCWs) is an important strategy to protect HCWs, patients and staff. Since 2005, annual data regarding overall uptake of vaccination in HCWs have been submitted by Victorian healthcare facilities to the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection (VICNISS) Coordinating Centre. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 state-wide target for HCW influenza vaccination uptake was set at ≥ 90%. Enhanced monitoring was also implemented, including weekly submission of vaccination data to the VICNISS Coordinating Centre. Herein, we report these findings.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Beard F, Hendry A, Macartney K. Influenza vaccination uptake in Australia in 2020: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic? Commun Dis Intell (2018). 2021;45. doi: https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2021.45.10.

Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). Australian Immunisation Handbook. [Internet.] Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health; 2020. [Accessed 23 March 2021.] Available from: https://immunisationhandbook.health. gov.au.

Ahmed F, Lindley MC, Allred N, Weinbaum CM, Grohskopf L. Effect of influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel on morbidity and mortality among patients: systematic review and grading of evidence. Clin Infect Dis. 2014;58(1):50–7.

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Ethical considerations in quality assurance and evaluation activities. Canberra: NHMRC; 2014. Available from: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/resources/ ethical-considerations-quality-assurance-and- evaluation-activities.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Australian hospital peer groups. Health services series no. 66. Cat. no. HSE 170. Canberra: Australian Government, AIHW; 2015. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/hospitals/australian-hospital-peer-groups/summary.

Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS), Doherty Institute. Healthcare-associated infection in Victoria: surveillance report for 2018–19. Victorian Government, DHSS; 2019. [Accessed on 5 May 2021.] Available from: https://www.vicniss.org.au/media/2220/rfq02597-pdi-vicniss-annual-report2019_a4_v12.pdf.

Johnson SA, Wang D, Bennett N, Bull AL, Richards MJ, Worth LJ. Influenza vaccination of Australian healthcare workers: strategies to achieve high uptake. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2017;41(5):545–6.

Downloads

Published

22/07/21

How to Cite

Lim, Lyn-li, Alex J Hoskins, Leon J Worth, Katherine C Walker, Ann L Bull, and Noleen Bennett. 2021. “High Influenza Vaccination Uptake in Victorian Healthcare Workers in 2020”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 45 (July). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2021.45.37.

Issue

Vol. 45 (2021)

Section

Letter to the Editor

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Communicable Diseases Intelligence

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.