Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCOVID-19Influenza3. Varicella (Chickenpox) VaccineHepatitis BMMRTdapMeningococcal
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
COVID-19
Influenza
- Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine
Hepatitis B
MMR
Tdap
Meningococcal
All adults should ensure that they are up-to-date with all of their recommended vaccines, but vaccinations for healthcare workers are especially important. People who work in healthcare settings are frequently exposed to germs while seeing or caring for patients, and direct contact isn’t always necessary to contract an infection.
Vaccination of healthcare personnel—from doctors and nurses to admissions clerks and ambulance drivers—protects from potentially dangerous diseases like flu andCOVID-19, and protects patients and the community at large as well. TheAdvisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)recommends seven.
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1. COVID-19
People with the virus can remain contagious for up to 10 days after the first symptoms start, meaning that healthcare workers who are caring for these patients are at high risk for contracting the virus themselves.
Those most at risk for contracting COVID-19 include those over the age of 65, people with an underlying condition, such as cancer, lung disease, or diabetes, and anyone with an immunocompromised condition or weakened immune system.Healthcare workers with any of these conditions also have an increased chance of contracting COVID-19.
Recommendations
The CDC recommends everyone over the age of 6 months receive the COVID-19 vaccine, especially those who are considered high risk due to age or underlying medical conditions. Healthcare workers, as people who are likely to come into frequent contact with infected patients, are strongly encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations for the virus.
There are currently two main types of COVID-19 vaccines available, including:
2. Influenza Vaccine
An estimated 12,000 to 61,000 people die frominfluenzaeach year in the United States, making it one of the deadliest vaccine-preventable diseases in the country.
Healthcare workers are exposed to this infection from patients who have the flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 140,000 to 810,000 people are hospitalized each year for influenza, depending on theseverity of the variantcirculating that year.
The groupsmost vulnerableto hospitalization and death are young children, pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with underlying medical conditions—some of whomcannot get the flu vaccine.
According to the CDC, around 80% of healthcare workers in the United States received the flu vaccine during the 2021-2022 flu season—meaning that a large number were unprotected from the virus.
The ACIP recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months receive theannual flu vaccine, including—and most especially—healthcare workers.
There are nineflu vaccineoptions, including three specifically recommended for adults 65 and over (Fluzone High-Dose, Flublok, and Fluad).
Varicella, also known aschickenpox, is no longer commonplace in the United States thanks to widespread vaccination. But outbreaks still occur throughout the country, and cases can spread quickly in healthcare settings. The disease can be particularly dangerous for medically vulnerable patients, such as pregnant women.
People who have varicella infection can be contagious a day or two prior to getting the telltale rash. If you’re a healthcare worker in frequent contact with patients, the effects of an unrecognized infection can be costly.
According to the ACIP, unvaccinated healthcare workers with no laboratory evidence of immunity or documented proof of diagnosis with chickenpox should get two doses of the vaccine, spaced four to eight weeks apart.
There may be an added benefit of getting Varivax. Studies in children have shown that varicella vaccination reduces the risk ofshinglesin later life because the virus that causes chickenpox is the same one that causes shingles.The same may apply, at least in part, if you receive Varivax as an adult.
Varivax is nota substitute for the shingles vaccineShingrix. Even if you receive Varivax as a healthcare worker, you will need to be vaccinated against shingles if you are 50 or older.
4. Hepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis Bis a chronic viral infection that spreads through blood and other bodily fluids. Over 850,000 people are believed to be infected in the United States, with around 21,000 new infections occurring every year.
Because many people with hepatitis B don’t feel sick, they can spread the virus without even knowing it. If left untreated, hepatitis B can lead to potentially serious conditions, includingcirrhosisandliver cancer.
Healthcare workers who are regularly exposed to blood and other bodily fluids are at constant risk of hepatitis B. Vaccination is central to preventing infection, as well as maintaininginfection controlin healthcare settings.
Prior to routinehepatitis B vaccinationsof healthcare workers, a staggering 18% of those working in the medical and dental fields were believed to have been infected. Within 10 years thereafter, the rate dropped to 6%.
5. MMR Vaccine
Measleswas declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, but the disease has made a huge comeback due, in large part, to the rise ofanti-vaccination campaigns. As a result, sporadic outbreaks still occur in the United States, including the 2019 outbreak that affected over 1,200 people in 31 states.
Measles is easily transmitted among children in pediatric offices and care units. Although measles vaccinations in schools have largely reduced such incidents, anti-vaccination sentiments are feared to reverse many of those gains.
In 2008, an unvaccinated 7-year-old boy with measles visited a pediatrician’s office in San Diego and inadvertently passed on the virus to four other children—three of whom were too young to receive the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. One was hospitalized with severe measles complications.
Even in developed countries like the United States, roughly one in five people who contract measles needs to be hospitalized.
Whilerubellaand mumps tend to be less serious than measles, unvaccinated healthcare workers can pass the viruses to medically vulnerable patients, like pregnant women, who are at greater risk of harm.
According to the ACIP, unvaccinated healthcare workers born in 1957 or after should get two doses of the MMR vaccine at least 28 days apart.Vaccination should be considered for unvaccinated healthcare workers born before 1957.
MMR vaccine recommendation:
Considerations
Many people who were vaccinated with MMR don’t recall getting the vaccine or have a record of their childhood vaccinations. If you have evidence, you won’t need to get vaccinated.
Healthcare workers can get tested for immunity using a DNA-based PCR test instead of automatically getting revaccinated if they don’t have vaccine records.
6. Tdap Vaccine
There are several kinds oftetanus vaccines:Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis)and Td (tetanus and diphtheria), and DTaP. It is recommended to have at least one dose.
Although they can all be used as tetanus booster shots for adults, only Tdap protects againstpertussis (whooping cough). In a healthcare setting, this is a very important distinction.
Pertussis, a respiratory disease mainly spread through coughing and sneezing, can be particularly dangerous for young infants. Because the earlysymptoms of pertussiscan seem like thecommon cold, many adults with pertussis don’t even realize they have been infected and can pass it to others.
This makes pertussis particularly dangerous in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) where transmission of the bacteria to newborns can be fatal. Despite these hazards, less than half of all healthcare workers receive the vaccine, according to a 2017 study in theAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine.
According to the ACIP, healthcare workers who haven’t been or are unsure if they’ve been vaccinated against pertussis should get a dose of Tdap. This is true even if they recently received the Td vaccine as part of therecommended vaccine schedule for all adults(in which a Td booster is given every 10 years).
Healthcare workers who are pregnant should also receive a Tdap during the third trimester of each pregnancy to prevent transmission to their newborn.
7. Meningococcal Vaccine
Meningococcaldiseaseis a bacterial infection that can causemeningitis, a condition in which the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord (called the meninges) becomes inflamed.
Meningococcal meningitis is relatively rare but can be serious, resulting in seizures,deafness,shock, multi-organ failure, and death within a matter of hours. Adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable.
It is not common for healthcare workers to become infected withmeningococcal diseasefrom patients, but it can occur if there is direct exposure to saliva or respiratory secretions (whether from contact with patients orsaliva or sputum samplesobtained for the lab).
This is especially true during outbreaks at universities or colleges where the disease can spread rapidly through dorms.
Microbiologists who are routinely exposed toNeisseria meningitidisshould get a meningococcal conjugate vaccine and serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. One vaccine option, Penbraya, includes all these types, but is approved only for people under age 25.
Summary
Vaccination is important for all adults, especially healthcare workers, who face higher risks of exposure to infectious diseases. Key vaccines for healthcare personnel include COVID-19, influenza, varicella, hepatitis B, MMR, Tdap, and meningococcal vaccines. Vaccines protect workers from serious illnesses while safeguarding patients and the community.
The CDC and ACIP stress the importance of staying up to date, as healthcare workers are not only likely to be exposed to infectious diseases, but also often treat patients who are not vaccinated themselves. Hygiene practices like mask-wearing and handwashing further reduce transmission risks, creating safer healthcare environments.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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