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 29^th and are looking for feedback from other hospitals on how you handle your programs.

 

·         Organization Name

·         Does your organization have a mandatory flu vaccination program?

·         Does your organization allow employees to submit medical and/or religious exemptions to the flu vaccine?

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

·         Do you require exempted employees to wear masks while working?

o   If yes, when are they required to start masking?

o   If yes, do you differentiate masking requirements for patient care versus non-patient care areas?

o   If yes, how does your organization ensure that exempted employees are actually wearing the masks?

o   If yes, are there any times that exempted employees are permitted to not wear masks while working?

o   If yes, do you have any lessons learned that have made your masking requirement efforts successful?

 

Thank you,

Meredith

 

/ Meredith R. Weaver, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Manager, Employee Health

WVU Medicine

PO Box 8120

Morgantown, WV 26506-8120

Clinic: 304-598-4160

Direct: 304-598-6654 or 7-6654

Fax: 304-598-4957

weaverm@wvumedicine.org

WVUMedicine.org