Employers Urged To Get Flu Vaccinations For Employees

Media information…. May 2, 2011

Employers Urged To Get Flu Vaccinations For Employees Under Way Now!

The window of opportunity for employers and employees to fully benefit from a flu vaccination programme is closing fast, according to Brian Blackman, chief executive of one of the country’s leading injury management and wellness companies.

“Senior health advisers have told us to encourage our employer clients to take on a flu jab vaccination programme as soon as possible,” Mr Blackman said. “They have warned people they need to be immunised as soon as possible because it takes up to two weeks to develop immunity after vaccination.”

Mr Blackman is CEO of Wellnz Ltd, a major injury management operator in New Zealand, which handles over 85,000 employees through its 45 client companies.

“When a person is absent due to flu, not only is that person effected but his or her co-workers also then wonder if they are going down with the flu, and that effects their productivity. Teamwork is effected straight away too, and morale drops. Employers need robust workplaces where healthy people can contribute to the growth of the business,” he said.

“Absenteeism is an ongoing problem for employers. Once that day’s productivity is lost, it can never be recovered,” he said. “Swine flu and seasonal flus are just part of the overall absenteeism picture but it can be minimised with simple precautions.”

Mr Blackman said that most employers now recognised that their people were their greatest asset, and had healthy living programmes in place for staff which included diet, exercise, regular health checks and health monitoring, wellness advice, and vaccination protection.

Already the Government has launched its programme for flu jab protection amongst civil servant employees. The Ministry of Education is continuing its programme of encouraging the nation’s 45,000 school teachers to be vaccinated, along with many other government departments.

Additionally, major employers including Transpower, NZBus and the district health boards have all launched their own vaccination programmes.

"Over one million doses of influenza vaccine were distributed in 2010, and although there will be a lower profile this year, it would be great to reach one million doses again,” he said.

“For many people swine flu is similar to normal winter seasonal flu but for some it can be very serious and can lead to complications, even death. We need to be vigilant and take reasonable precautions."

Mr Blackman said influenza was a serious illness which was more than a 'bad cold". He said anyone could catch it, even the fit and healthy and sufferers could end up in hospital or could die as the disease can make other conditions, such as breathing or heart problems, even worse.

Simple precautions like staying at home if they are unwell, covering their mouths if they cough or sneeze, washing hands frequently and good hygiene were useful precautions.

The Ministry of Health had advised that as there was no longer a pandemic, the eligibility criteria for free immunisation had changed. Now everyone over 65 years of age, everyone with underlying conditions and identified as being at risk, and pregnant women can get the vaccination for free, but in the past many employers have been happy to pay for their staff to be immunised because of the reduced absenteeism over the winter months.

The Ministry’s campaign started with the arrival of vaccines in February and will continue through to July.

“Implementing a full vaccination programme is an effective precaution against contracting and spreading influenza, especially in the workplace. Influenza and the flu pandemic can have serious implications,” said Mr Blackman.

Over 420 people die each year in New Zealand from the flu, and last year, the swine flu pandemic claimed 18 lives in this country.

Contrary to popular belief, the Ministry stated that a person cannot get influenza from the vaccine. The vaccine stimulates the immune system and contains protection against circulating flu viruses. It is best to be vaccinated early as it can take up to two weeks following the vaccination for the body to build up antibodies.

The WHO reported that last year more than 300 million people had been vaccinated against pandemic flu, and the immunisations, which have an excellent safety record, were 75 percent effective.

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