81% of PAPHR staff say ‘yes’ to flu shot

It seems many health-care workers chose to get immunized over wearing a mask during this past influenza season.

In the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (PAPHR), the “immunize or mask” policy for the 2014/2015 year led to 81.63 per cent of employees and physicians receiving the influenza vaccine.  This is close to the average 83 per cent from health-care workers across the province.

In the previous year, only around 60 per cent of PAPHR staff and physicians were immunized.

“We all know that the vaccine, perhaps, didn’t provide complete coverage in this year, but certainly … this policy is around patient safety; making sure our long-term care residents, our patients in acute care and throughout our community are as safe as possible in ensuring that their providers are either immunized or wearing a mask,” said PAPHR CEO Cecile Hunt.