Flu Shots Given to Care Home Staff Prevents Death

Ivanhoe Newswire
Monday, December 4, 2006; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Giving flu shots to people who work at care homes can cut down on the number of residents who get sick or die from influenza.

British researchers looked at 44 care homes during the winters of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. The flu vaccine was given to full-time employees in half of the homes (intervention homes) but not in the other half (control homes).

The report revealed levels of illness and death, consultations with general practitioners, and hospital admissions were much lower in the intervention homes compared to the control homes during the 2003-2004 flu season.

Researchers report the reduction is equivalent to preventing five deaths, two hospital admissions, seven general practitioner consultations, and nine cases of influenza-like illness per 100 residents during the period of influenza activity.

But there were no significant differences during the 2004-2005 flu season, during which national influenza rates were significantly below average. There were also no significant differences during periods of no influenza activity in 2003-2004.

The authors conclude the results provide "strong evidence to support influenza vaccination of care home staff even when vaccine uptake by residents is high. Vaccinating care home staff against influenza can prevent deaths, health service use, and influenza-like illness in residents during periods of moderate influenza activity."

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SOURCE: British Medical Journal, published online Nov. 30, 2006