Flu Vaccination Program

The deadline for compliance is December 31, 2022. Note that requests for medical or religious exemptions must be submitted by October 15, 2022.

Yes, this policy applies to clinical providers as well as anyone not directly involved in patient care but who potentially could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted to and from health care workers and patients.

This policy does also include telecommuters, as the potential exists for those employees to report to work if/when deemed appropriate by their supervisor on any given day. A simple way to look at it is, any employee who does or potentially could physically be on campus during flu season is required to get a flu shot.

• Employee Health Services by appointment, 860-679-2893
• Employee flu vaccine clinics (check this page for latest schedule information)
• Coming soon: A “mobile immunizer” (look for providers with a “Just Ask” sticker in clinical areas)
• Your own doctor or pharmacy (be sure to obtain documentation)
• 65 or older? Get yours as a participant in a UConn Health-JAX study seeking to make the influenza vaccine more effective in older adults.

Before December 31, send a scanned copy of your flu shot documentation to flu@uchc.edu, fax to 860-679-4587, or send a hard copy to mail code MC 2940.

Yes. Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time. Some specific information for providers about giving a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time is available in the 2022-2023 FAQ section for Health Care Providers on the CDC website.

To obtain your 22-23 sticker, email flu@uchc.edu.

If an employee is unable to provide documentation from a religious leader, an employee who holds a sincere moral or ethical belief with a strength akin to traditional religious views would be considered. The employee would need to provide a statement explaining such sincerely held belief, however such belief cannot be specific to a belief about vaccinations in and of itself or personal preference. The term “sincere beliefs” excludes social, political or economic philosophies, as well as mere personal preferences.

The purpose of the vaccination policy is to protect our patients, our employees and our community. Individuals receiving the vaccination may reduce the risk to a patient or a co-worker who for medical reasons may be unable to receive the influenza vaccination or who have compromised immune systems. Requiring certain vaccinations for employees has been in place for other vaccinations, such as hepatitis, for some time.

The extra safety precautions we are taking (wearing face coverings, social distancing, frequent washing/sanitizing hands) are unquestionably effective in mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and similarly will be effective in reducing influenza transmission. But it is important to understand that even with these measures, the risk of transmitting either virus still exists. Getting a flu shot is another proven step we can take as a method reducing exposure, not only for ourselves, but also for our families, our coworkers, and the patients in our care. In responsibly preparing for the one-two punch of COVID-19 and the flu this winter (and beyond), we must take all means necessary to maintain the health of our workforce so we can maintain the health of our patients.