Flu season is here with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting cases being seen sporadically across the United States, including Texas. To protect yourself and others against the serious, potentially deadly, infection, the CDC and the Executive Director of Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research Dr. Carol J. Baker urges everyone – especially health care workers – to get vaccinated.
“We owe it to ourselves and we owe it to our patients to get vaccinated against the flu,” Baker said. “As long as the season is going on, and you are not protected, you can get influenza.”
For those who are still debating on whether to get the free flu shot offered to all Texas Children’s employees, Baker, a pediatric infectious disease specialist well known for her work in both immunization research and education, addresses some of the top concerns about the vaccine and the flu in the video below.
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As of Friday, November 6, 63 percent of Texas Children’s employees had gotten a flu shot, according to statistics provided by Jill Fragoso, director of Employee Health and Wellness. Last year, Texas Children’s achieved a 90 percent vaccination rate. We want to reach or exceed that rate this year. As a reminder, employees should be in compliance by Tuesday, December 1. Leaders can run reports for their area(s) via the Health and Wellness portal. Individuals who would like to view and/or print their immunization records can click here for instructions on how to access that portal.
How to get vaccinated
Free flu shots are being offered to all Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine employees working in Texas Children’s facilities, Texas Children’s medical staff and volunteers at various events across the organization and at the Employee Health Clinic. Click here to view the dates and locations for your vaccination. If you are unable to make one of these dates, please make an appointment at the Employee Health clinic, located on the fifth floor of the Abercrombie Building near the yellow elevators, after October 1. If you have questions, please call Employee Health at Ext. 4-2150. West Campus Employee Health is located on the campus’ second floor and can be reached at Ext. 7-1365.
Visitation restrictions
Based on the increasing incidence of respiratory illness, Texas Children’s Hospital has instituted new visitation restrictions for the inpatient units and critical care areas. To read more about these restrictions please click here.