The “Other” Vaccinations

The CDC recommends healthcare workers get one dose of influenza vaccine annually.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has many more vaccines it recommends than just the COVID-19 vaccine. The list includes the following:

• Hepatitis B
• Flu (Influenza)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella)
• Varicella (Chickenpox)
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
• Meningococcal

The CDC recommends that healthcare workers who don’t have documented evidence of a complete hepatitis B vaccine series – or, if they don’t, have a blood test that shows they are immune to hepatitis B (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) – should:

• Get a three-dose series of Recombivax HB or Engerix-B (dose 1 now, dose 2 in a month, dose 3 approximately five months after dose 2); or
• Get a two–dose series of Heplisav-B, with the doses separated by at least four weeks; and
• Get an anti-HBs serologic test 1-2 months after the final dose.

The CDC also recommends healthcare workers get one dose of influenza vaccine annually.

For healthcare workers born in 1957 or later who have not had the MMR vaccine, or who don’t have a blood test that shows they are immune to measles or mumps (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination), they should get two doses of MMR (one dose now, and the second dose at least 28 days later).

Healthcare workers who have not had chickenpox (varicella) and haven’t had varicella vaccine, or don’t have a blood test that shows they are immune to varicella (i.e., no serologic evidence of immunity or prior vaccination) should get two doses of varicella vaccine, four weeks apart.

Also, get a one-time dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) as soon as possible if you have not received Tdap previously (regardless of when previous dose of Td was received). Then get either a Td or Tdap booster shot every 10 years thereafter.

Pregnant HCWs need to get a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy.

The CDC list of healthcare workers who should be vaccinated includes physicians, nurses, emergency medical personnel, dental professionals and students, medical and nursing students, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, hospital volunteers, and administrative staff.

Programming Note: Listen to Timothy Powell when he anchors the Talk Ten Tuesdays News Desk, Tuesdays at 10 Eastern.