Dear Editor,
I read with interest the article that the Mercy Hospital system will require employees to receive a vaccine against the Severe Acute Respiratory Virus 2 (SARS2) that causes the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoViD19). The purpose of such a preventive measure is to protect both the employees and the patients they serve. There is nothing new about this concept.
For many years, health care workers (HCW) have been required to wash their hands or use an alcoholbased disinfectant between patients to prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses between patients. Persons performing invasive procedures have long worn masks to prevent transmission of pathogens to patients undergoing operations and protect providers against blood borne pathogens such as hepatitis B, C and HIV.
More than 25 years ago, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee made recommendations, many of which have become law, for the use of vaccines in HCW. HCW are required to have the hepatitis B vaccine, the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine or show proof of immunity. In addition, annual influenza vaccine is recommended in order to protect HCW and patients during epi/pandemics of influenza. An adult dose of acellular pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine is recommended to protect HCW, patients, other HCP, household members, and persons in the community, and especially infants, until they can get immunity from vaccine.
There are vaccines recommended for certain health care workers. The vaccinia (smallpox) vaccine is recommended for some workers exposed to pox viruses such as cowpox and monkey pox (there was a case of imported monkey pox just last week). Persons who work with typhoid or polio or who work in certain overseas locations, or are exposed to meningococcal bacteria should receive vaccines against these pathogens. Of course, all HCW must be tested annually for tuberculosis to protect patients and HCW.
We now have extensive experience with CoViD19 vaccines with over 390 million doses administered in the United States. These vaccines are highly effective and have good safety profiles. HCW in the United States have suffered over a half million cases and 1700 deaths from CoViD19. I was so grateful to receive my doses in December 2020. The CoViD19 threat continues: the newly introduced Delta variant is much more transmissible, but vaccines continue to be effective against this variant.
I applaud Mercy Health Systems for their policy to protect their employees and patients.
Joe P. Bryan, MD
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases
Retired US Navy, Department of State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention