Influenza - Philadelphia VA Influenza Vaccination Information
Updated 12/4/2007:All primary care and specialty clinics at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and CBOCs are vaccinating scheduled patients. The VA is also vaccinating inpatients in the Medical Center and at the Nursing Home Care Unit. A walk-in flu vaccination clinic is now in the Module C, just ask at the Module C outpatient clinic desk during clinic hours.
VA employees can be vaccinated at any patient care site (clinic or ward). Employees can also be vaccinated in Occupational Health, please call (x5888) to ensure that it’s not too busy a time when you are planning on dropping by. Finally, there is a roving flu vaccination cart several times a week, please look for it and get vaccinated. The VA needs all employees to fill out our staff vaccination form whether they are vaccinated at the VA, elsewhere, or are declining vaccination.
Finally, the VA will soon have live attenuated influenza vaccine (brand name Flumist) available for employees 50 years old or younger who do not have chronic medical conditions. “Flumist” is inhaled by nose rather than given as a shot.
Next, some information about the flu vaccine and you:
The flu vaccine is safe and effective. Anyone can get the flu. However, the flu shot cannot give you the flu; it does not contain live virus. “Flumist” does have live virus but it is weakened and cannot cause a chest infection like influenza. It is safe. It is given to children as young as 2 as well as healthy adults. The flu vaccine is different every year since the influenza virus is different every year. Vaccination every year is necessary for protection
All employees in the VA system are strongly urged to seek and accept vaccination to protect the health of the veterans we serve, to protect themselves and their families, and to stay healthy for work when we need them most.
All veterans in the VA healthcare system are offered vaccination. However, the following groups are at increased risk of complications from influenza and are strongly urged to become vaccinated: veterans 50 years old or older or those with other conditions such as: heart or lung disease, diabetes, blood disorders (such as sickle cell anemia), kidney disease, disorders or treatments that weaken the immune system, spinal cord injury or disease, seizures, decreased mental functioning, and those who will be pregnant during influenza season.
Those at risk for transmitting influenza to the above veterans are also strongly urged to receive vaccination: VA employees, people who live with or care for either children aged 59 months or younger or adults in the above targeted groups.
VA providers are offering flu vaccination to veterans. Veterans: please ask other VA employees you interact with whether they have been vaccinated.
Patients: call your VA caregiver for further information.
Healthcare and hospital workers: please ask your supervisor or call Infection Control for more information. The numbers are on the hospital intranet site.
This information is also available by calling 215-823-4640.