Cleveland Clinic Employee Flu Shot

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How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Common Cold And Influenza

Many cold and flu symptoms are similar. Both the common cold and the flu are caused by viruses.

There are some differences with influenza. Symptoms of influenza often hit suddenly and cause you to become weaker and weaker. While the more uncomfortable symptoms of flu generally last from three to seven days, the dry cough and fatigue of influenza can last two to three weeks. Signs that influenza is getting worse include increasing degree of fever, and shortness of breath. If you think that your illness is getting worse, contact your doctor right away.

Symptoms of colds and flu

• Stay at home.
• Take acetaminophen to reduce fever and relieve muscle aches.

Note: Adults should not give aspirin to children or adolescents with fevers due to the association with Reye’s syndrome, a rare disorder that causes brain and liver damage.

Who Shouldnt Get The Flu Vaccine

You shouldnt get the influenza shot if you are

• Severely allergic to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine, regardless of the vaccine component suspected of being responsible for the reaction.
• Sick with a fever.

There is an option to get the nasal flu vaccine . The following groups of people shouldn’t get the nasal flu vaccine:

• Children and adolescents who are taking aspirin or any type of salicylate-containing medication therapies.
• Children who are 2-4 years of age who have been diagnosed with asthma or whose parents/caregivers can say that a healthcare provider has told them during the past 12 months that the child has had wheezing events or asthma or a child who has a wheezing episode documented in their medical record.
• Children or adults whose immune systems are compromised for any reason, including drugs or HIV infection.
• Caregivers or close contacts of severely immunosuppressed people who need a protected environment.
• Pregnant people.
• People who have received antiviral drugs to treat the flu within the past 48 hours.

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Experts Say Getting A Flu Shot Is Vital During The Coronavirus Pandemic Heres Where To Get One Near Cleveland

Experts say getting a flu shot could be vital this fall in order to reduce the number of flu patients in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio Need a flu shot? There are plenty of options available in Greater Cleveland.

Public health experts say getting a flu shot could be more important than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. The vaccines could prevent a person from contracting influenza, or at least keep its symptoms mild. That could reduce the number of flu patients in hospitals and free up space for coronavirus patients.

Although the flu is not as deadly as the coronavirus, it still poses a significant risk. An estimated 56 million people contracted influenza during the 2019-20 flu season, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 740,000 people needed to be hospitalized and 62,000 died.

While COVID-19 has been on the top of peoples minds for the past several months, influenza is not a disease that should be taken lightly, as every year thousands of people are hospitalized or die from the illness, Dr. Steven Gordon, the chair of the Cleveland Clinics department of infectious disease, said in a news release. We dont have a vaccine for COVID-19 at this time, but we can get vaccinated and protect ourselves against the flu.

Gov. Mike DeWine stressed the importance of getting a flu shot during Tuesdays coronavirus briefing at the Ohio Statehouse.

HOSPITALS

What Is Seasonal Influenza

Seasonal influenza, also known as the flu, is an illness that causes fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. It is usually spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing. Flu season in Ohio can begin as early as October and run as late as March. However, it is not uncommon for sporadic cases to appear all year long.

Most people who get the flu usually recover in one to two weeks, but the flu can be deadly. An estimated 200,000 people are hospitalized with the flu each year in the U.S. On average, it is estimated that there are more than 20,000 flu related deaths many of which could have been prevented with a flu vaccine.

Flu vaccines are designed to protect against the influenza viruses that experts predict will be the most common during the upcoming season. There are three kinds of influenza viruses commonly circulate among people today which include: Influenza A viruses, Influenza A viruses, and Influenza B viruses. Each year, these viruses are used to produce seasonal influenza vaccine.

Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 202122 Season

Influenza vaccines expected to be available in the United States for the 202122 season will be quadrivalent vaccines. For the 202122 season, U.S. egg-based influenza vaccines will contain HA derived from

For the 202122 season, U.S. cell culturebased inactivated and recombinant influenza vaccines will contain HA derived from

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Does The Flu Vaccine Interfere With The Covid

No, says both Rivard and Dr. Rehm. In fact, if you havent received a COVID-19 vaccination yet or are receiving a third dose, you can receive it at the same time as your flu vaccine.

All available COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time as the flu vaccine, says Rivard. If someone is coming in for their flu shot and theyre eligible for COVID-19 vaccine but havent received it yet, we can offer that.

If youre receiving one of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines , which require two doses, you can receive the flu vaccine alongside either the first or second dose. Both the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommend co-administering almost any two vaccines together, Rivard adds.

She adds that there are very few instances in which certain vaccines cant be administered at the same time, noting that children often receive multiple vaccines during one visit to a pediatrician.

And theres no concern about overloading our immune systems with multiple vaccines, notes Dr. Rehm. Were exposed to things that stimulate our immune system all the time, she says. Our immune system is constantly responding to various exposures even if you dont realize it.

Getting A Flu Vaccine: Four Steps

Community care flu shots are available to eligible Veterans who:

• Are enrolled in the VA health care system AND
• Received care through VA from either a VA or community provider within the past 24 monthsNOTE: Second requirement is new for 2021-2022 flu season.

To check your eligibility, Veterans can:

Call 800-MyVA411 , select option 1 , then select option 3 , and then option 1 again .NOTE: The system will check your eligibility for the community urgent care benefit, which includes the flu vaccine.

Contact your local VA medical facility.

Veterans can get a flu shot without prior authorization. Flu vaccines provided include standard , high dose, and preservative-free.

NOTE: Family members and beneficiaries are not eligible. State, age and health-related restrictions may apply. Individuals who are not eligible and receive a flu vaccine may be liable for the cost of the vaccine.

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Dont Be Scared Away By Covid

Even though the risk of contracting COVID-19 remains, particularly with the highly contagious delta variant, its important that people still make it out to a healthcare provider to receive their flu vaccine.

Healthcare facilities are taking extra precautions to make the environment safe for people who come in, Dr. Rehm notes. Masking and social distancing are taking place. And the reality is that the risk of not going in for the vaccine is higher than going in for the vaccine because it is such a safe environment.

That goes equally for kids, too. Just as its important to keep their immunization schedule on track despite the pandemic, its also crucial to get them vaccinated for the flu, Dr. Rehm says. Its important for children to get the flu vaccine, too, because the circulation of flu in children, if nothing else, puts adults at risk, too.

Influenza is a serious disease and its unpredictable, she says, and otherwise healthy children are unfortunately hospitalized and die every year because of it. So even for normal, healthy children, its really important to get vaccinated every year.

Finally, she adds, When young children get the vaccine for the first time, they need two doses separated by a few weeks in order to boost their immunity to the point that theyre protected against influenza. Check with your doctor for the specifics.

Get Your Flu Shot Today

Getting a flu shot is a simple way you can help yourself and others be healthier this flu season. If your UnitedHealthcare health plan is provided through your employer:

• Your flu shot is covered at $0 out-of-pocket1
• You can get a flu shot at more than 50,000 locations

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Cleveland Clinic Requiring Employees To Be Vaccinated Against Covid

Cleveland Clinic is requiring its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, in accordance with federal mandates, the health system announced Friday.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden’s administration announced details of rules for large businesses with more than 100 employees and health workers who work at facilities that take payments from Medicare or Medicaid.

The new vaccination rules, announced in September, were officially issued this month by the federal Department of Labor. Private sector companies with at least 100 employees will need to have those employees vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, or the employees must be tested weekly.

Companies that do not comply can be fined, from $13,653 per employee for not meeting the Jan. 4 deadline, and as much as $136,532 for willful noncompliance.

Unlike the rules for other large employers, the mandate for health care businesses that accept money from Medicare or Medicaid do not allow a testing option in lieu of vaccination.

Legal efforts are underway to prevent the mandates from taking effect.

“Under the CMS rule, employees who are not fully vaccinated by January 4, 2022, and who do not have a religious or medical exemption that can be accommodated will no longer be able to work for us,” the Cleveland Clinic said in its announcement.

In the Akron area, Cleveland Clinic operates Akron General, Mercy Hospital in Canton and Medina Hospital.

When Should You Go Back To Work Or School If You Have Had The Flu

You are contagious for one day before starting feeling ill, and for 5 to 7 days while you have the flu symptoms. At the very least, you should stay at home until you are able to go 24 hours without taking something for fever. If you have other severe symptoms, such as incessant cough or shortness of breath, you should stay at home.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/24/2019.

References

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Are Video Visits With A Nurse Practitioner Online Covered By Cleveland Clinic Employee Health Plan

Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Nurse Practitioners who accept Cleveland Clinic Employee Health Plan for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.

Yes You Need Both Vaccines

While both the flu and COVID-19 are respiratory diseases with overlapping symptoms, you still need and a specific vaccine to protect you against each virus.

In other words, the flu vaccine wont you protect you from COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine wont protect you from the flu.

And while no vaccine is 100% effective in keeping you from getting sick, as recent breakthrough COVID-19 infections have shown, these vaccines can often lessen the effects of the disease. In many cases, being vaccinated helps reduce the severity of the illness, says Dr. Rehm.

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‘our Most Severe Surge Of Covid

CLEVELAND With the Omicron variant still causing a surge of COVID-19 cases in Ohio, one Northeast Ohio health system is urging its employees to stay the course.

The Cleveland Clinic is among those health systems having to make tough decisions, as hospital beds fill up and the pandemic takes a toll on caregivers.

In an email to the Clinics tens of thousands of employees, Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic thanked everyone who served patients or offered support over the holidays. He wrote that he hoped the New Year brought them joy, but that they all expected to be in a better place with the pandemic. That is sadly not the case.

Dr. Kelly Hancock, chief caregiver officer at the Cleveland Clinic, oversees the 70,000 employees in the system. All employees are called caregivers, regardless of whether theyre involved in direct patient care.

This has really become our most severe surge of COVID-19, Hancock said, noting that more than 1,100 COVID patients are currently in the Clinics Ohio hospitals. She added that approximately 3,500 caregivers were out of work as of Monday, January 3.

With this severe surge, we continue to be so proud of the dedication of all of our caregivers through all the ups and downs of this pandemic, Hancock said. We know that this has put a strain on the organization, a strain on our caregivers. We know that they’re fatigued, but yet they come back every day and they do so with compassion and dedication for our patients.

Expanded Random Drug Testing Program

Cleveland Clinic is committed to patient safety, caregiver health and a drug-free workplace. As part of our pledge to deliver safe, reliable care, Cleveland Clinic has implemented a random drug testing program effective Jan. 1, 2016. All Cleveland Clinic employees are subject to the random drug testing program during the duration of their employment.

Trainees will still need to undergo the initial drug screening as part of the pre-screening health exam before beginning training.

Employees are randomly selected by a scientifically valid method, giving everyone an equal chance of being tested each time selections are made. Employees may be selected several times in a row or not selected the entire year.

Here is the procedure for trainees who are randomly selected for testing:

• Schedules will be reviewed before notifying a trainee to report for testing.
• Testing will be conducted during the trainee’s normal work schedule at or near their work location.
• Trainees who are unavailable for testing because of an outside rotation or vacation will go back in the pool for re-randomization.

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Who Should Get The Flu Vaccine

Its recommended that everyone 6 months or older should get an influenza vaccine each year. You will protect yourself and other people around you. People who have any of the following conditions are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from influenza :

• Lung disease.

You also have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from influenza if you:

• Are younger than 2 years, or over 65 years old.
• Are pregnant and for 2 weeks after delivery
• Are under 19 years old and must take aspirin regularly.
• Live in a nursing home.

If you work in a healthcare facility, you may transmit influenza to patients and other workers, but you are not at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill. The recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is that everyone over the age of 6 months gets a flu vaccine if there are no contraindications. This includes individuals who are not at high risk.

Flu Shot Clinic Locations

Please bring your photo ID and insurance card.

How young can patients be to get a flu shot?

Six months and older.

Is an appointment necessary?

All locations are drive-up/walk-in without an appointment, but you can schedule an appointment to guarantee a time to get your flu shot.

Is there a cost?

It depends on your insurance, but most insurances cover this service.

Am I required to wear a mask for the drive-up service?

All individuals using the drive-up service are required to wear a mask.

How will I know where to go once I pull into the location parking area?

Signage will be posted at all locations.

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Understanding Flu And Covid

The flu and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory illnesses, but are caused by different viruses. Because symptoms for both illnesses are similar and can range from no symptoms to severe it can be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis.

When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider If You Have Influenza

Because of the importance of taking flu medicines within 48 hours of coming down with symptoms, call immediately if you think you have the flu. If you continue to feel unwell after you have been treated for the flu, you should call your doctors office. If you find yourself feeling better, and then getting sick again, you should also contact your doctor. The flu might have left you with some kind of secondary illness, like a sinus infection.

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