[MCOH-EH] Flu Masking

[Birkholz, Brenda M]

Replies after questions below.  Thanks, Brenda

Brenda Birkholz, MPH, RN, COHN-S
Manager, Occupational Health and Out-Patient Education
Hutchinson Health
1095 Hwy #15 S
Hutchinson, MN  55350
Ph: 320-484-4502
Fax: 320-484-4643

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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2018 14:55:39 +0000
From: "Weaver  Meredith" <weaverm at wvumedicine.org>
To: "'mcoh-eh at mylist.net'" <mcoh-eh at mylist.net>
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Flu Masking
Message-ID:
	<1281DAFA0298594E94534568B2F5A551014BA39E6D at NT-EX1.wvuhs.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Good morning, I have a few questions for the group about your influenza vaccination programs, in particular masking of exempted employees.  We require all exempted employees to wear masks while working on health system owned or leased property, regardless of whether they have patient contact.  Based upon lab confirmed influenza rates in our hospital, we invoked our masking protocol on Friday, December 29th and are looking for feedback from other hospitals on how you handle your programs.


*         Organization Name  Hutchinson Health

*         Does your organization have a mandatory flu vaccination program?  Yes

*         Does your organization allow employees to submit medical and/or religious exemptions to the flu vaccine? Employees can simply decline - we ask their reason and do some tracking of reason but no formal collection of medical and/or religious exemptions

*         Who in your organization is responsible for reviewing religious exemptions, i.e. EH, HR? NA

*         Do you require exempted employees to wear masks while working? Yes

o   If yes, when are they required to start masking? All employees who have not been vaccinated are required to mask once our Infection Preventionist (IP) or Medical Director "call" the flu season start....then masking continues until the flu season end is "called" (via all employee email, manager alerts)

o   If yes, do you differentiate masking requirements for patient care versus non-patient care areas? NO

o   If yes, how does your organization ensure that exempted employees are actually wearing the masks? Managers receive reports of employees who have not been vaccinated on a frequent basis during flu season and are responsible for enforcement.

o   If yes, are there any times that exempted employees are permitted to not wear masks while working?  In patient care areas - must mask at all times; in office work stations  (non-patient care) - must mask when within three feet of any other people but if working solo at a workstation without people contact, can work without a mask; no masking required in cafeteria or break rooms.

o   If yes, do you have any lessons learned that have made your masking requirement efforts successful?  Lots of newsletter articles, email messages, talking points for managers were provided prior to starting the mandatory vaccine or mask program.  CEO stresses importance of flu vaccination or masking, during Employee Forums and via all employee messages, Medical director sends all employee message announcing start of flu season which also promotes vaccination or masking.  This is our 3rd year of mandatory vaccine or mask policy - at 95% flu vaccination of staff at this time.  We are a small organization - about 650 employees.