In this Article

• Why do we need vaccines? What is immunization? What is immunity?
• How can I become immune (protected)?
• Are there different types of vaccines?
• Can I receive multiple vaccinations during one visit to the doctor?
• Are there any dangers to being immunized?
• What reactions are likely after an immunization?
• Who should not receive a vaccine?
• If I am pregnant, which vaccines can I receive?
• What are invalid reasons for postponing vaccination?
• Why do we keep giving vaccines if the numbers of cases of the vaccine preventable diseases are at a record low in the United States?
• Is there any financial help for people who have been injured by vaccines?
• I am a health-care worker. Is there anything different that I need to do compared with non-health-care workers?
• I am planning foreign travel. Do I need any additional vaccinations?
• Where can I find additional information on immunizations?
• Vaccination FAQs Index

I am a health-care worker. Is there anything different that I need to do compared with non-health-care workers?

Health-care workers are treated a little differently than other adults for two reasons. First, a health-care worker is more likely to be exposed to certain risks (such as hepatitis B) than the normal population. Second, if a health-care worker becomes infected, they may transmit those infections to their patients (chickenpox, pertussis).

Special recommendations:

• tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap)



• It is recommended that any health-care worker who may have patient contact receive a Tdap shot if they have not received one as an adolescent (as long as it has been two years since their last Td shot). This helps prevent the spread of pertussis.



• hepatitis B



• Health-care workers who have not been vaccinated should receive the three-dose series and obtain anti-hepatitis B serology testing one to two months after their third dose.



• measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)



• There must be either documented evidence of all three diseases (measles, mumps, and rubella) or serologic evidence of immunity (determined by a blood test) in anyone born after 1957. If there is no serologic evidence of immunity, the health-care worker should receive two doses of MMR separated by 28 days or more.



• varicella



• All health-care workers must have either a history of varicella disease (chickenpox), prior vaccination, or serologic evidence of immunity. If not, the worker should receive two doses of vaccine 28 days apart.



• influenza



• Health-care workers should receive one dose of either the flu shot or the nasal flu vaccine annually.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Flu Vaccine - Get the facts about influenza vaccine (flu shot) ingredients, side effects and vaccination effectiveness. Learn who should (children, pregnant women, elderly) and shouldn't get a flu shot.
• Shingles - Read about shingles symptoms (contagious rash), vaccine, causes (chickenpox [varicella] virus, stress), treatment, how it's transmitted and postherpetic neuralgia.
• Childhood Vaccination Schedule - Read our printable children's immunization schedule and learn about vaccines for kids (Hib, polio, DTaP, MMR, HPV, flu, chickenpox, meningitis, rotavirus, pneumonia, hepatitis A and B).

Read more Vaccination FAQs related articles »

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