Understand the Efficacy of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine (SIV) to Improve Uptake Rate among Health Care Workers (HCWs) in PYNEH

Abstract Description

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Authors (including presenting author) :

Chow SH(1), Lai WMY(1), Wong YCA(1), Ng SW(1), Yip PN(1), Tsen OW(1), WONG YM(1) , CHEN MN(1), CHAU KY(1)

Affiliation :

(1)Infection Control Team, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital

Introduction :

Seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) among healthcare workers (HCWs) is one of the important patient safety initiatives in healthcare system and is considered as one of the most effective preventive measures to protect both HCWs and patients during influenza seasons. The SIV uptake rate among HCWs remains statically low in past years even though intensive promotions have been launched.

Objectives :

1. To understand the influenza vaccine efficacy among HCWs in PYNEH 2. To strive for improvement in the SIV uptake rate

Methodology :

HCWs were working in PYNEH and reported respiratory-associated illness (RAI) and / or influenza like illness (ILI) in the Staff Early Sickness Alert System (SESAS) during October 2017 to June 2018 were recruited. Retrospective data review on: 1) SIV status in 2017/18 from Immunization Module in Clinical Management System (CMS)
2) SIV date to report sickness should be greater than 14 days to ensure sufficient time to build antibody to protect against influenza virus infection. Univariate analysis between case (HCW reported sickness in SESAS) and control (Staff received SIV) were performed using Pearson Chi-Square Test or Continuity Correction depended on the minimum expected count.

Result & Outcome :

5,322 staff recruited and 27.2% of staff (1,447/5,322) received SIV in 2017/18. Non-vaccinated staff had a higher prevalence on having RAI (Odds Ratio [OR]: 0.47; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.35, 0.63; P < 0.001) or ILI (OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.75; P = 0.002). Stratified the staff into clinical (4,464) and non-clinical (858) for subgroup analysis. Both clinical and non-clinical staff had better protection from RAI after vaccination (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.69; P < 0.001). It was estimated staff received SIV would have approximately 2.1 to 2.2 times protection against RAI or ILI. Other than usual promotional strategies like forum, visual gimmicks etc, the efficacy result had disseminated to all staff in various occasions in 2018. Compared the SIV uptake rate in November 2017 vs November 2018, significant increased on uptake rate was observed from 16.90% in 2017 to 28.95% in 2018. Influenza vaccine had shown to be effective in protecting staff from having either RAI or ILI and the result had positive impact on motivating HCWs to receive SIV. Active promotion among HCWs should be continued under no circumstances.