A pilot study of an influenza vaccination or mask mandate in an Australian tertiary health service

To the Editor: Health care workers (HCWs) play an important role in influenza prevention. They are at risk of exposure and subsequent illness which can lead to transmission to close contacts and patients.1 Conversely, high HCW influenza vaccination rates can reduce nosocomial influenza, decrease sickness absenteeism and are cost-effective.2,3 Despite this and the increasingly visible voluntary vaccination programs, the rates of influenza vaccination among HCWs in Australia vary between 16.3% and 58.7%.4 The Victorian Department of Health has recently stated that HCW vaccination must be > 75% in 2014.