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Influenza Letter for Residential Care

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For residential care homes:

Approved providers are encouraged to have an active program to prevent an outbreak of influenza in their care home.

Dear Directors of Nursing and Care Managers

Immunisation for Seasonal Influenza 2012

Influenza is an acute, highly infectious respiratory viral infection and is a notifiable disease in all states and territories if laboratory confirmed. To help prevent outbreaks and the spread of influenza, you should ensure that your staff have good hand hygiene and infection control practices in place. Should there be an outbreak in the community, it is advisable for family members and visitors who are unwell with influenza-like symptoms not to visit residents. All staff with influenza-like symptoms should also be advised to stay away from work until they are symptom-free or are cleared by their doctor to return to work.

The 2012 seasonal influenza vaccines will contain the same trivalent influenza strains as used in the 2011 influenza vaccine. However, people who received the vaccine any time in 2011 still need to be revaccinated in 2012 as immunity following vaccination is not long term. To promote uptake of the vaccine, the Department of Health and Ageing has developed posters and fact sheets for health professionals and brochures for consumers which will be sent to you separately.

Further information or copies of the seasonal influenza communications material for 2012 will be available for download at The Immunise Australia Program website. Alternatively you may contact the Immunise Australia Information Line on 1800 671 811.

For details regarding prevention and control of influenza in residential aged care services, you may refer to the Influ-Info Kit for Aged Care. Copies of this kit can be downloaded from the website.

The four essential interventions for the prevention and management of influenza outbreaks in residential aged care homes are:

1. Vaccination of residents and staff
2. Application of appropriate infection control practices
3. Outbreak recognition and management (including laboratory confirmation)
4. Policy development and planning to support vaccination and infection control

Are you prepared to prevent and manage an outbreak of flu?

• Do you have an influenza vaccination program to encourage high rates of vaccinations for your residents?
• Are resident vaccination records updated regularly?
• Do you have an influenza vaccination program for your staff?
• Are staff vaccination records updated regularly?
• Do you have an updated infection control plan in place?
• Do you know who to contact in case of an outbreak of influenza in your residential aged care home?
• Do your staff understand and carry out correct hand hygiene and infection control practices?
• Do you have a system to ensure that family and friends are notified in case of an outbreak of influenza?

Yours sincerely

Authorised for electronic transmission

Dr Susan Hunt RN, PhD
Senior Nurse Adviser
Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance
April 2012