Flu vaccination rates are higher for nursing home residents than they are for the healthcare professionals caring for them, the CDC’s latest report indicates. The CDC found that across facility types, nursing home residents were less likely to be vaccinated than similarly aged people in the general population (75.6%). Medicaid-certified facilities were the only exception, with vaccination rates resembling those of the same age. Meanwhile, healthcare professionals caring for residents had even lower vaccination rates (45.4%), although independent practitioners, students, trainees, and volunteers reported comparatively higher rates. Overall, healthcare professionals in nursing home settings were less likely to be vaccinated than those in acute care settings (80.7%), suggesting that targeted education for nursing home staff and their residents may be an important lever for protecting this vulnerable population.
