OHA reports flu vaccination rates among health care workers remain low in pandemic’s wake

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) —Oregon continues to see low influenza vaccination rates among health care personnel following significant drops during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new Oregon Health Authority data.

The Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Dashboard, published by OHA’s Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program, shows that 61% of the state’s health care workers from all facility types were vaccinated among those eligible during the 2023-2024 flu season. That's slightly lower than the 2022-2023 flu season rate of 63% -- and concerning for state officials trying to prevent the virus’s spread to people most at risk of severe illness and death.

The influenza vaccination rate among eligible health care workers had dropped 24% between the 2019-2020 and 2023-2024 influenza seasons – from 85% to 61% -- and marks the fourth consecutive year of decreasing influenza vaccination rates among health care personnel.

“Health care worker influenza vaccination rates remain low and have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Flu activity is returning to pre-pandemic levels, but we have not seen the same for health care worker influenza vaccination rates,” said Dat Tran, M.D., the HAI Program’s medical director. “It is important that we focus on increasing flu vaccination rates for this critical, frontline workforce.”

OHA requires annual reporting of health care worker influenza vaccination data from four facility types – ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, hospitals (including inpatient psychiatric facilities) and nursing facilities.

Data are self-reported by facilities and includes aggregate counts of health care workers, grouped by health care worker category; who received an influenza vaccination; who declined; who had a medical contraindication; or who had an unknown vaccine status. The Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Dashboard displays influenza vaccination data filterable by facility type, county, and worker classification. Trends by flu season and facility-specific data are also shown.

According to the 2023-2024 dashboard, ambulatory surgery centers reported the highest flu vaccination levels among workers, with rates at 67%, followed by hospitals at 66%, nursing facilities at 37%, dialysis centers at 45% and inpatient psychiatric facilities the lowest at 24%. Dialysis centers were the only facility type that saw an increase from the 2022-2023 rates, but they were still below the rates for prior flu seasons.

The percentage of eligible health care workers who declined vaccination has increased over the years, reaching 18% for the 2023-2024 flu season, which is up from 15% for the 2022-2023 season. Additionally, a high proportion of health care workers reported having an unknown vaccination status (21%), which may contribute to low vaccination rates – and illustrates the need for improvement in facility-level documentation of vaccination status.

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed Healthy People 2020 with 10-year objectives for improving the health of all Americans, including showing progress toward a 90% influenza vaccination coverage goal for the health care workforce.

However, Healthy People 2030 does not include a goal focused on increasing flu vaccinations among health care workers, so Oregon is continuing to use the Healthy People 2020 health worker vaccination goal as a way of directing public health action and showing where more support and education is needed.

To achieve 90% vaccination coverage, Dr. Tran said there are important steps health care facilities can take. Public health recommendations include encouraging health care workers, including those not employed by the facility—such as contractors and volunteers—to get vaccinated at the beginning of every influenza season.

Facilities can also host promotional activities, such as holding mass vaccination fairs, providing vaccines at no cost to employees, starting incentive programs, and documenting all health care workers’ vaccination status and requiring a declination form for health care workers who forgo vaccination.

“We know our state’s health care workers want to protect their patients and prevent a potentially catastrophic outbreak of influenza, which can be deadly for vulnerable people, such as older adults and those with chronic conditions or who are immunocompromised,” Dr. Tran said. “We need health care workers to step up and get vaccinated.”

OHA has developed a toolkit for health care employers and workers to help them improve employee flu vaccinations rates at their facilities to protect patients, themselves and their families.