Flu vaccinations begin Oct. 14

Brief
October 2, 2003

The center's occupational health nurses will offer the traditional inactivated-flu vaccine for Fred Hutchinson staff and volunteers starting Oct. 14.

See page 7 for the complete employee-vaccination schedule, including dates, times and locations.

Although the FDA approved a new intra-nasal flu vaccine, FluMist, in June, nurse Judith Davies warns that Alliance faculty, staff and volunteers should not receive this vaccine because the live influenza virus is shed from the nose and in respiratory secretions for as long as three weeks after vaccination. Fred Hutchinson faculty, staff and volunteers who spend time at the Alliance also should not receive the FluMist vaccine. "A live vaccine can infect our immune-compromised patients, therefore we ask that you do not use this form of vaccine," she said.

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