Spencer Hospital achieves high rate for flu immunization

Spencer Hospital held a comprehensive influenza vaccination program which has yielded an exceptional 97 percent of the hospital's workforce to receive a flu vaccination or be determined exempt from receiving the vaccine.

"Achieving a vaccination rate of 97 percent is phenomenal," commented Jason Harrington, interim president and CEO of Spencer Hospital. "As healthcare professionals, we understand that influenza can be much more serious than a case of sniffles. Every year, approximately 114,000 Americans are hospitalized and more than 36,000 die from influenza and influenza-related complications. According to the Center for Disease Control, influenza-a vaccine-preventable disease-is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States."

Harrington added, "Last year we worked hard to emphasize the importance of flu vaccination and at the time we achieved 88 percent, which is also very good. However, increasing that number to 97 percent is exceptional. We greatly appreciate of our employees who make the effort to get vaccinated, and we especially are grateful to Joyce Tewes, Employee Health, DeeAnn Vaage, Infection Control, Colette Rossiter, Community Health; and Brenda Tiefenthaler, vice president of Patient Care, for their efforts in coordination our influenza immunization program."

"Community Health has worded with Avera Spencer Family Care to provide influenza vaccination clinics as well," said Rossiter. "We encourage anyone who has not been immunized to call their family practice clinic or Community Health Services to schedule an appointment."

Influenza, commonly referred to as "flu," is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Symptoms of influenza infection may include sudden onset of fever (usually high), muscle aches, headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, and runny or stuffy nose.

People develop symptoms one to four days after they are infected, with an average of two days. Adults may be able to spread influenza to others from one day before developing symptoms to approximately five days after symptoms start. Children may be able to spread influenza to others for 10 or more days after their illness onset.