The Brigham is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our patients, their loved ones and Brigham personnel by minimizing the risk of hospital-acquired infections, such as the flu. Even if you do not visit the hospital and clinical sites, you may expose others who do — and thus transmit the flu to patients. The single best way to avoid getting sick with seasonal flu and spreading the virus to others is to get the annual influenza vaccine.
Per hospital policy, all Brigham personnel must receive a seasonal flu shot, unless they are approved for an exemption based on a medical contraindication, sincerely held religious beliefs or working remotely 100 percent of the time.
Here are five things to know about our 2019–2020 flu vaccination program:
- Flu shots are due by Friday, Nov. 15. If you receive flu shot from Occupational Health Services (OHS) or a Peer-to-Peer vaccinator, your flu shot will be automatically documented in PeopleSoft. If you’re immunized anywhere else, additional steps are required to document your flu shot. Learn more.
- Exemption requests are due by Tuesday, Oct. 15. If you were approved for an exemption last year, you must reapply for this flu season by the Oct. 15 deadline.
- OHS will provide free flu shots for personnel at the main campus and at select sites across the distributed campus. Main campus clinics will be held Sept. 21–28, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sept. 29, 6:30 a.m. to noon, on the Braunwald Tower 2 mezzanine (across from the Shop on the Pike). View the complete schedule of flu shot clinics.
- For your convenience, Environmental Affairs will offer N95 respirator fit testing in Miller Atrium in the Shapiro Center on the same dates as the main campus’ flu-shot lobby clinics.
- Those who are not compliant with the mandatory flu vaccination policy by Nov. 15 will be placed on unpaid administrative leave and lose both badge and IS access. Between Nov. 15 and Nov. 30, the Brigham will make every effort to work with noncompliant individuals to obtain missing documentation or exemptions. Personnel who remain noncompliant on Monday, Dec. 2 will be unable to continue employment at the Brigham.