October 15, 2019

Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Dean Andropolous is routinely one of the first people in line at the earliest scheduled Employee Health flu vaccine event, and this year was no different. A short time after the Employee Health team started giving out flu shots on The Auxiliary Bridge, Andropolous rolled up his sleeve and stepped up to the plate to get his vaccine.

“I come down every year and get my shot so that I can protect our patients and myself from getting the flu, an illness that for anybody is a really bad experience, but for many of our patients, can be life threatening,” Andropolous said, adding that Texas Children’s makes it extremely easy for employees to get the flu vaccine. “It took me less than three minutes, and it didn’t hurt a bit.”

More than 5,000 employees have taken the lead in getting their flu shots so far this year. Employees who receive their flu vaccine by November 1, 2019, will be entered into a drawing to win one of 25 Nutri Ninja Pro Blenders. Employee Health will notify the winners via email on Friday, November 8. To view the Employee Health flu vaccine event schedule, click here.

Flu program overview

Employee Health will administer flu vaccines at no cost to Texas Children’s employees; Baylor College of Medicine employees working at Texas Children’s facilities; Morrison, Crothall, or Compass contract employees; and volunteers at Texas Children’s. Upon vaccination at Texas Children’s, staff will receive a 2019-20 flu season sticker to affix to their badges.

To reduce wait times at the flu vaccination events, employees are recommended to complete their Flu Vaccine Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal prior to attending the event.* Click here to view a quick video tutorial on how to access the Flu Vaccine Consent Form online. Click here for instructions on how to log in to the portal or click here to view step-by-step instructions.

Employees at Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Urgent Care, and Texas Children’s Specialty Care Centers may be vaccinated at their respective practices, please speak to your leader for more information. Employees who work remotely may be referred to a designated occupational health clinic by Employee Health, or can receive their vaccine covered at 100 percent through Texas Children’s medical plan when administered by an in-network pharmacy under medical coverage.

View photos of your colleagues getting their flu shot below.

Employees who receive their flu vaccine outside of Texas Children’s must submit their attestation and proof of vaccination via this online form.

Employees who decline the flu vaccine for approved exemptions may be required to use protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. For more details, see Required Influenza Vaccination Policy #317 and Procedure #4218.

If you have questions about the Flu Program, contact Employee Health at 832-824-2150, option 2.

October 7, 2019

As One Amazing Team, we share a responsibility to our patients, their families and each other to prevent the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases like the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu and its potentially serious and even life-threatening complications.

As we enter the official 2019-20 flu season, we ask you to take action against the spread of the flu and start planning now to attend an Employee Health flu event to receive your flu vaccine. To view the event schedule, click here.

During our first week of flu vaccination, the Employee Health team vaccinated close to 5,000 employees. Although we are excited to see so much participation across the organization, we want to keep the momentum going! That is why employees who receive their flu vaccine by November 1, 2019, will be entered into a drawing to win one of 25 Nutri Ninja Pro Blenders. Employee Health will notify the winners via email on Friday, November 8.

Flu program overview

Employee Health will administer flu vaccines at no cost to Texas Children’s employees; Baylor College of Medicine employees working at Texas Children’s facilities; Morrison, Crothall, or Compass contract employees; and volunteers at Texas Children’s. Upon vaccination at Texas Children’s, staff will receive a 2019-20 flu season sticker to affix to their badges.

To reduce wait times at the flu vaccination events, employees are recommended to complete their Flu Vaccine Consent Form online via the Employee Health & Wellness Portal prior to attending the event.* Click here to view a quick video tutorial on how to access the Flu Vaccine Consent Form online. Click here for instructions on how to log in to the portal or click here to view step-by-step instructions.

Employees at Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Urgent Care, and Texas Children’s Specialty Care Centers may be vaccinated at their respective practices, please speak to your leader for more information. Employees who work remotely may be referred to a designated occupational health clinic by Employee Health, or can receive their vaccine covered at 100 percent through Texas Children’s medical plan when administered by an in-network pharmacy under medical coverage.

Employees who receive their flu vaccine outside of Texas Children’s must submit their attestation and proof of vaccination via this online form.

Employees who decline the flu vaccine for approved exemptions may be required to use protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. For more details, see Required Influenza Vaccination Policy #317 and Procedure #4218.

If you have questions about the Flu Program, contact Employee Health at 832-824-2150, option 2.

June 24, 2019

Texas Children’s employees share a responsibility to protect our patients, their families and each other from vaccine-preventable diseases like rubeola (measles), pertussis (whooping cough) and varicella (chickenpox). With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting this year the highest number of confirmed individual measles cases since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, our commitment to preventing the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases is especially important.

In support of that effort and our mission to create healthier futures for children and women, Texas Children’s is introducing new immunization requirements for all employees and all new hires, regardless of their patient care duties. These requirements are detailed in the Appropriate Screening and Vaccination Protocol Policy (#305) and Procedure (#3357), and align with recommendations from the CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

For an introduction to the new policy and helpful information about the safety, effectiveness and necessity of vaccines, please watch this video message from our Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark W. Kline. To view the video message, click here.

Required Immunization Details

Under the new policy, all Texas Children’s employees must take one of the following actions prior to August 30, 2019:

  • Be immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases including measles, mumps and rubella; chickenpox; and tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
  • Provide written documentation of vaccinations, written documentation of disease history by physician, or laboratory evidence of immunity.
  • If an employee has a medical contraindication that prohibits him or her from getting vaccinated or a religious objection, they must complete the immunization exemption process, detailed within the Immunization Requirement Guide. Immunization exemption requests will be reviewed by Employee Health and may be subject to individual or committee review. Employees whose exemption requests are approved may be subject to reassignment to an alternative area if available, based on the level of risk they present to patients.

How will this affect employees who are non-immune?

Employees who are considered non-immune to measles, mumps and rubella, chickenpox and/or tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis received an e-mail from Employee Health on June 24 explaining the new immunization requirements and requesting compliance by August 30, 2019.

For more information on the new immunization requirement, where to receive vaccine(s) at no cost, how to submit immunity documentation, and information on the immunization exemption process, please review the Immunization Requirement Guide. If you have any questions, please call Employee Health at 832-824-2150, option 2.

As a global leader in pediatric and women’s health care, our Texas Children’s patients and families rely on us to take every possible action to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. Thank you for helping to keep yourself and our community safe and protected by complying with these new immunization requirements.

December 12, 2017

As of yesterday, 89 percent of Texas Children’s employees have received their flu shot. Last year, we achieved over a 90 percent vaccination rate, and this year, we want to beat that rate! We can do it! A special thank you to all of you for getting vaccinated!

If you have not received your flu shot, it’s not too late. Make your flu shot appointment today by calling:

  • Main Campus Employee Health at 832-824-2150 (option 2)
  • West Campus Employee Health at 832-227-1365
  • The Woodlands Employee Health at 936-267-5287

If you received your flu vaccine elsewhere, please submit verification to Employee Health either in person, via email to emphealth@texaschildrens.org or via fax at 832-825-9437. Employee Health will provide a 2017/2018 flu shot badge sticker upon receiving your confirmation.

To view a brief overview of our flu shot participation thus far, click here.
To view testimonials from your peers on why they received their flu shot, click here.

“We encourage you to get your flu shot as soon as possible. We are already seeing positive flu cases at the Employee Medical Clinic ,” said Employee Medical Clinic physician Dr. Irene Lomeda. “People infected with flu shed the virus and may be able to infect others one day prior to symptoms and 5-7 days after symptoms. Remember, the flu affects people differently based on their body’s ability to fight infection. Even healthy children and adults can get very sick from the flu and spread it to friends, co-workers, and family.”

If you are on the fence about receiving your flu vaccine this year, please watch this six-minute Texas Children’s video, Facing Influenza, to see real Texas Children’s families experience the challenges and heartbreak from the flu.

As a reminder, staff who does not receive their flu shot will be required to wear a surgical mask when providing direct patient care services for the duration of the flu season. See Required Influenza Vaccination Policy and Procedure for more details. Employee Health is not accepting flu declination documentation yet. More details on the declination process will be shared in the coming weeks.

Thank you for helping protect our patients, families, workforce, and community by receiving your flu shot.