Vaccination of Healthcare Professionals and Protection of Hospitalized Adults and Nursing Home Residents

Abstract

Regarding vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), healthcare workers (HCWs) need to be vaccinated either to protect themselves or to protect patients. HCWs vaccination is challenging in most countries and particularly when vaccination aim is more to protect others than themselves because behaviours depend on the perception of vaccine-preventable disease risk regarding the risk/benefit ratio of the vaccine. Nursing homes are healthcare settings where numerous vulnerable residents more susceptible to infectious diseases and to some VPDs live. The most important VPD is influenza associated with high mortality rates each year, and despite years of recommendations to vaccinate HCWs, there are still many low worldwide vaccine coverages. The debate regarding efficiency of HCW flu vaccination in long-term care facilities to decrease flu impact in elderly population is explained in this paper and is probably one of the numerous determinants of vaccine reluctance or acceptation as well as the too large panel of vaccine policies worldwide. Because many programmes to enhance flu vaccine coverages for HCW are of limited efficacy, mandatory vaccination appears to be one simple solution, but ethical issues emerge. On the other hand, implementing multidimensional programmes adapted is possible but is time-consuming and costly. Although it can lead to a durable shift in culture, it needs strong political willingness and better communication from policymakers.