Prepare for the Upcoming Flu Season

To the Johns Hopkins Medicine community

As another flu season approaches, we'd like to remind you that the Johns Hopkins Medicine mandatory influenza vaccination policy requires that all personnel covered by the policy receive a flu vaccination for the health and safety of our patients and colleagues. We had great success with compliance across all of our entities over the past two years and look forward to another productive vaccination campaign.

For this 2014–2015 season, the deadline to receive a flu shot is Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014—except for All Children's Hospital, which has a Wednesday, Nov. 19, deadline. If you have a valid medical or religious reason not to get a flu shot, you must request an exception from the policy by Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Keep in mind that the vaccine protects you, your family members, your patients and friends. Each Johns Hopkins Medicine entity's Occupational Health Services will be providing free vaccinations to staff, faculty, physicians and trainees beginning in October. If you receive your vaccine outside of Johns Hopkins, such as at a doctor's office, drugstore, etc., you must submit your proof of vaccination by Dec. 2 to your organization's occupational health department.  

Each Johns Hopkins Medicine member organization has adopted its own policy supporting this important institution-wide effort and will address noncompliance in accordance with applicable disciplinary policies or work rules. If you are unclear as to whether you are required to receive the vaccine under the policy, please speak to your supervisor or department director.

Further details will be available later this month and will be posted at hopkinsmedicine.org/mandatoryflu. Visit your organization's website for specific information about the policy, vaccination dates and locations, exception forms and other details. 

Thank you for your commitment to patient safety.

Sincerely,

The Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Oversight Committee