Lee Memorial Health System set a new policy that all of its employees and volunteers must receive flu vaccinations.
Flu vaccinations for the more than 15,000 Lee Memorial associates will begin in early October.
Stephen Streed is the System Director of Epidemiology at Lee Memorial. He said this policy is meant to reduce the chances of the disease spreading between patients and workers. He hopes to see at least 98% Lee Memorial Health System’s employees and volunteers vaccinated.
“If you have a high enough percentage immune, the contacts between any one individual who might have the disease and somebody who’s susceptible; very, very low probability. So, the disease stops propagating,” he said.
People can get a medical or religious exemption from the vaccinations.
Instead, they will wear masks when within six feet of those with the virus during flu season. The masks will be required after a certain number of patients showing influenza like symptoms or testing positive for influenza enter their emergency rooms.
Streed said those who refuse the vaccination will be counseled about the vaccine. If they still refuse, they will face disciplinary action.
This policy is not new elsewhere. Streed said facilities such as Johns Hopkins and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center among others have the same policy.
