Passport Health | Travel Health and Immunization Blog

Why Do I Need an On-Site Flu Vaccination Program at My Work?

August 18, 2014 by Cait Hartwyk Leave a Comment

Onsite Flu Vaccination Clinic in the workplace

If you think that you don’t need an on-site flu vaccination program at work, think again! A dedicated immunization effort will have several positive effects on your business. Many people do not end up getting a flu vaccine on their own time since they are unaware of the need to do so, and in turn, they may end up spreading the disease throughout the workplace. This is your chance to engage in public health education with the people who matter the most to your business — your employees. Here are some ways that an on-site flu vaccination program can have a positive effect on your business operations.

Reducing Absenteeism

When workers contract the flu, they tend to lose an average of five working days annually as they try to recover from the illness. However, some people take longer to recover than others, and they may begin to get better as others get sick. Your workplace could be suffering from absenteeism and staffing shortages for a couple of weeks if the flu hits your employees hard. After a while, this could lead to contracts not being upheld and profits being lost. Up to 20 percent of American workers will fall ill with the flu each year, so it makes sense to vaccinate your employees and ensure that they will be present at work during the flu season.

Boosting Employee Morale

When a large portion of a community is ill, productivity tends to suffer. People might stay at home due to their concerns about getting the flu and passing it on to their family members. Your bottom line will begin to suffer as projects fall behind and people avoid the workplace out of a fear of illness. By encouraging employees to get vaccinated at work, you can help them feel safe about coming in to perform their essential tasks. The protection granted by the flu vaccine extends far beyond the workplace, which can calm their fears of spreading the flu to other people. Your company will continue to thrive during the flu season if you set up an on-site vaccination program.

Reducing Travel-Related Illness

Perhaps your employees travel frequently in order to serve the needs of the company. During the height of flu season, they might be traveling through airports or public transit hubs. This could put them at risk of contracting the virus and spreading it back through the workplace, which in turn causes productivity to suffer. By starting an on-site flu vaccination program, you can make sure that anyone who travels for work stays safe and healthy.

On-Site Flu Vaccination Programs: A Key Part of Public Health

If you are interested in starting an influenza vaccination program at your workplace, you should strongly consider using Passport Health’s corporate services. We will assign travel health specialists who can visit your office and administer flu vaccines to employees who need them.

Vaccination is the smart choice for a business that doesn’t want to slow down because of an outbreak of illness. By maintaining a positive public health environment in your office, you can boost productivity and play an active role in the health of your employees. Contact Passport Health today for more information about setting up an account.

Sources
CDC Key Facts Page on Flu Vaccines
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Guide to Establishing a Work-Site Influenza Program
Passport Health Article on Establishing On-Site Vaccination Programs

Be Flu Free! Don’t Let These Myths InFLUence You!

August 14, 2014 by Cait Hartwyk Leave a Comment

The flu is serious business, but this common ailment is commonly misunderstood. Watch this video to dispel 8 of the most prevalent flu myths.

Click to see this video’s transcript

♪ [music] ♪ The flu is serious business, resulting in hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year. However, misconceptions about the flu are as common as the illness itself. So, it’s crucial to address what is fact and what is fiction. Let’s debunk some of the most common myths that prevent people from getting the vaccine. Remember, the flu shot is the best way to be flu free. Myth number one, the flu isn’t that bad. Most people just think of the flu as a very bad cold. It’s not really that bad. Not true at all. When you catch the flu you typically feel terrible. In addition to congestion and cough, you will likely have nasty body aches, and fever. You feel exhausted, and getting out of bed is a chore. In short, you feel like you’ve been hit by a Mack truck. Going to work is inconceivable and engaging in your favorite activities like family pizza night or your weekly tennis match is out of the picture. In addition to causing lost work days and plenty of short-term misery, the flu hospitalizes 200,000 people and kills between 3,000 and 49,000 people each yearin the U.S. To put it in context, that makes the flu as deadly a killer as breast cancer. Myth number two, I’m healthy, so I don’t need the flu vaccine. I know the health nuts are still not convinced. You go to yoga five times per week, take your vitamin supplements, eat a vegetarian diet full of organic antioxidant-containing leafy greens. You’re the model of health and wellness. The flu cannot break down your immune defences. Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is just not true. Anyone can become sick with the flu and experience serious complications regardless of health, fitness, and activity levels. Remember, protecting yourself is not the only reason to get vaccinated. Healthy adults often forget that while they may be able to quickly recover from any flu-related complications, other members of their family might not. People with the weakest defenses like infants under six months can not get the flu vaccine. Failure to get yourself vaccinated could endanger your children. Myth number three, I can protect myself from the flu by washing my hands and bundling up in cold weather. If only it were this easy. Unfortunately, good hygiene cannot fully protect you against the flu. Influenza is an airbornevirus most often spread by airborne droplets made when people cough, sneeze, or talk. So, although washing your hands is always a good practice, it cannot eliminate your risk of inhaling those droplets, catching the flu. Despite what grandma says, going outside in the winter without a hat will not increase your risk of catching the flu. Neither outdoor temperature nor the number of clothing layers you wear have any effect on your body’s resistance to the flu. Myth number four, I got the flu shot last year, so I don’t need to get it again. You got the flu shot last year? Good for you. You still need to get another shot this year. First of all, the body’s immune response to vaccination decreases over time, so the vaccination is needed each year to keep your defenses at their strongest. Secondly, the formulation of the flu vaccine is reviewed every single year so that the current vaccine contains protection against the most commonly circulating strains to keep up with the constantly evolving flu virus. Myth number five, I already got sick this year; I can’t catch the flu again. You were already sick and miserable this year? Get a flu shot so you don’t have to experience that misery again. Many people mistakenly assume that if they’ve already had a case of the flu, they are immune for the rest of the year. Remember, multiple strains of the virus circulate each year so it’s quite possible that you could get infected with one type of virus, and then again with another. The flu vaccine however, protects against the three to four most common strains of the virus. Offering additional protection from any further illness and unhappiness. Myth number six, antibiotics can fight the flu; I’ll just take some pills if I get sick. Unfortunately, antibiotics have absolutely no effect whatsoever on the flu. Antibiotics fight bacteria not viruses and the flu is caused by a virus. You can’t just take antibiotics and expect to be feeling better in a few hours. There are a few treatment options for the flu such as antiviral drugs, but they are most effective if taken within 48 hours of symptom onset. However, these drugs do not cure the flu. They just make you sick for a day or two less and make you less contagious to others. Myth number seven, the flu shot can give you the flu. This myth drives the experts bonkers. For the record, there is simply no way the flu shot can give you the flu. Injectable flu vaccines contain only dead virus, and a dead virus is dead. It cannot infect you. Note that the flu mist nasal spray vaccine does contain live virus, but it has been specifically engineered to remove the parts of the virus that make people sick. Why does this myth persist despite it’s scientific impossibility? Well, flu season coincides with the time of the year when bugs causing colds and respiratory illnesses are in the air. Sometimes people get the flu shot, and then get sick a couple of days later with an unrelated flu virus. What’s to blame? Probably your coworker with the runny nose, not the flu shot. Myth number eight, you need a doctor’s appointment for a shot. Think you can only get the flu shot from your doctor? Not true. We understand that no one wants to wait weeks to schedule an appointment or frankly just go to the doctor in the first place. Take time off from work to drive to your doctor’s office, and then have to sit in a waiting room full of sick people for an hour, when you’re trying to prevent illnesses in the first place. Luckily, Passport Health provides a convenient solution. We have over 230 clinics in North America conveniently located close to your home or office in which you can get your flu vaccination throughout the year. We accommodate last-minute appointments, so there’s no need to schedule weeks in advance, and we serve a healthy clientele. Better yet, we provide on-site flu clinics at your office location. We bring the vaccine to you, so there’s no need to schedule an appointment or take time off from work to get your flu shot. You are now a much more informed flu consumer. If you hadn’t had your flu vaccine yet, go get it and encourage your family and co-workers to do the same. You could spare yourself, your loved ones and your office a lot of misery. Be smart. Be flu free with the flu vaccine from Passport Health this flu season. ♪ [music] ♪

Myth: The flu isn’t that bad.
FACT: Being sick with the flu is terrible!

Myth: I’m healthy, so I don’t need the flu vaccine.
FACT: Even healthy, active people need the flu shot.

Myth: I can protect myself from the flu by washing my hands and bundling up in the cold.
FACT: Influenza is spread through the air, so hand washing cannot fully protect you.

Myth: I got the flu shot last year, so I don’t need to get it again.
FACT: The strains of flu virus that circulate change every year, so last year’s shot may not protect you this year.

Myth: I already got sick this year; I can’t catch the flu again.
FACT: Even if you were already sick with the flu, your body may not be immune to all circulating flu virus strains.

Myth: Antibiotics can fight the flu; I’ll just take some pills if I get sick.
FACT: Antibiotics cannot treat or prevent the flu.

Myth: The flu shot can give you the flu.
FACT: The flu shot cannot give you the flu.

Myth: You need a doctor’s appointment for a flu shot.
FACT: You can get the flu vaccine at Passport Health locations nationwide or at an onsite flu clinic at your office.

What are you waiting for? Get the flu vaccine and be Flu Free this year!

Featured Traveler: Tempe Sister Cities Chapter

August 12, 2014 by Cait Hartwyk 3 Comments

Established Relationships Nurtured During Trip Abroad

Passport Health Featured Traveler: Sister Cities

Name: Marcus Newton
Lives in: Chandler, AZ, USA
Destination: Balkans
Trip Date: May 28 – June 15, 2014

Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy, Sister Cities International is a non-profit, non-partisan organization serving as the national membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States. President Eisenhower envisioned an organization that could be a champion for peace and prosperity by fostering bonds between people from different communities around the world. By forming these relationships, President Eisenhower reasoned that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships that would lessen the chance of new conflicts. Sister Cities International advances peace and prosperity through cultural, educational, humanitarian, and economic development exchanges. It serves as a hub for institutional knowledge and best practices in the field of citizen diplomacy.

Marcus Newton, owner of Printing Specialists (an Arizona business for over 33 years), has been volunteering for the organization since 1986 and is currently the Vice President for the Sister Cities chapter in Tempe, AZ. He, his wife, and 16 other members of his local chapter recently traveled abroad to attend the Balkan Sister City Conference in Skopje, Macedonia. They also met with many mayors as they toured other Balkan countries in search of additional future Sister City relationships.

Did you visit any other countries in the area? If yes, which countries?
Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina

How did the daily life of the locals differ from the life you live back home?
There was not a noticeable difference among the daily life of the locals from ours. We met many locals and the only difference was language, but we are all faced with similar problems; the only slight difference may be intensity.

Did you eat any local delicacies or interesting foods during your trip?
We had many opportunities to eat the local delicacies and partake in cultural experiences. We were guests at many banquets hosted by various Eastern Europe cities that were often 4-6 course meals that lasted from anywhere of 3-4 hours in length. These lunches/dinners gave us an opportunity to not only converse with the locals, but also taste many of their beloved cuisine, listen and dance to their local music. Almost every day, we ate the local vegetables, meats and drank local beer/wine. In Skopje, we were guests at a local restaurant, in which the owner and chef personalized our menu after the local favorites. He cooked all of our food in a specialized wood oven. This specialized oven was the only equipment in his kitchen. The dishes he created were amazing! While we were in Albania, we did have a fish that only can be found in the great depths of Lake Ohrid of the Balkans. The locals informed us that the Queen of England is known to favor this fish and it is imported from the lake to her table.

How was the weather different than in Arizona? Was it challenging to acclimate?
The weather was absolutely wonderful. The only difference was the high humidity that we are not used to in Arizona. The sun shined every day and the waterway breezes cooled us off. When it was hot, many of our new local friends would help us find an area of “shadow” (that is what they referred to as shade) and joined us for a drink at many of the beautiful cafés.

What was the most memorable experience during your trip?
The beautiful scenery, but most of all the opportunity to meet many new friends.

Did you find any cultural similarities between your destination and home?
Throughout our travels, we have learned that people are very similar no matter where they live. We all have the same problems (family, work, government and etc…). We have all loved, felt pain and laughed.

What was the most surprising thing about your trip?
The most surprising thing about our trip was the beauty of Serbia. Serbia was so clean, green, and blooming with flowers. It was amazing to see how the wine industry has flourished in the Balkan countries. We saw so many miles of vineyards along the Balkan coastline and countryside. We tasted many of the local wines and they were incredible. It was evident that the Balkans are serious about their wine.

What places of interest or activities do you recommend?
Everyone must visit Istanbul, Turkey. It is an intensely beautiful country that is so rich with history. The restaurant, hotel and tourism service is outstanding.

How did your trip impact the way you view life abroad??
That communism was a huge failure and still presents many obstacles for many countries to overcome.

Will you be traveling abroad soon? Be sure you are healthy and fully prepared for your trip by scheduling a visit with a travel health specialist before you go.

Sister Cities International
Tempe Sister Cities Chapter
Passport Health blog- Doing Good Globally: Sister Cities International

Doing Good Globally: Sister Cities International

August 6, 2014 by Cait Hartwyk Leave a Comment

Sister Cities International Logo

Theories of international relations extend far back in human history, as far back, in fact, as the 5th Century BC, when Athenian historian Thucydides wrote the History of the Peloponnesian War. Various schools of thought that seek to explain war and peace have since proliferated: be they the realist school of thought, with its focus on states, survival, and self-help; liberalism, with a focus on state preferences and interdependence; neorealism, with a focus on the anarchic international system; constructivism, with an emphasis on collective values and social identities; or even Marxism, grounded in the idea that economic concerns transcend all others. Such theories have filled more pages of books than most students of international relations care to remember. Taking a step back, however, one element is shockingly missing from a discipline that ultimately seeks to explain why some of the most momentous events in human history have occurred, and that missing element is the power of a human connection. Do friendships, memories, or shared smiles and tears have the power to change history? President Eisenhower certainly thought so. In 1956, the President laid out a plan for an organization to lay the groundwork for world peace and prosperity by creating bonds between people from different cities and countries all over the globe. By developing these relationships, he reasoned that people of different cultures could come together, celebrate and appreciate their differences, build strong partnerships and thus lessen the chance of new conflicts occurring. Under this new theory of international relationships, Sister Cities International was born.

Sister Cities International was developed to form long-term relationships that would foster peace and prosperity through cultural, educational, humanitarian, and economic exchanges. The term “sister city” is used when a community of any size decides to join with a community in another nation to learn more about each other. This sister city relationship becomes a long-term partnership between two communities, which usually are similar in demographics and size. Each city may have any number of “sisters” across the globe. The Tempe, Arizona, chapter for example, has ten sister cities across the globe, including communities in countries as diverse as Mali, Ireland, and Macedonia. Each partnership is meant to increase global cooperation at the grassroots level, and these partnerships arise for a variety of reasons including business connections, travel, or shared history. All Sister Cities Chapters are independent organizations operating under a number of management structures. They may be run by a group of volunteers, representatives from local institutions, the mayor’s office, or by a combination of these groups. Since Sister Cities’ creation in 1956, this diplomacy network has created and strengthened partnerships between over 2,400 communities in more than 123 countries. Youth Exchange opportunities are a key part of the work Sister Cities does, and these are offered in partnership with the American Cultural Exchange Service. Sister city members can nominate and sponsor high school students from their sister city abroad to study in the U.S. for a semester or school year, and US students similarly have a chance to experience life overseas.

The organization’s mission is to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation – one individual, one community at a time – and this mission is just as important today as when the organization was founded over 50 years ago. Via human-to-human relationships, different cultures can celebrate and appreciate their differences, and hopefully remember Kofi Anan’s sage guidance that, “We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.”

Would you like to take part in promoting a new theory of international relationships with Sister Cities? There are many ways you can get involved: become a partner or state coordinator or simply make a donation, but know that your contribution will help ensure that the organization’s programs continue to grow and connect ordinary citizens in even more parts of the globe.

To make a donation to Sister Cities International, please visit this webpage, and click here to learn more about the organization in general.

Which Vaccines Should I Add to My Flu Clinic?

August 4, 2014 by Cait Hartwyk Leave a Comment

Flu season is nearly upon us, and you proactively already have your flu clinic booked (if you don’t have the clinic scheduled, there is still time, but what are you waiting for?)! Your onsite flu clinic is a great opportunity to offer your employees additional protection and help ensure their health and wellness throughout the year by offering additional protective vaccines. So, what other vaccines should you make available to your employees at the onsite event?

Hepatitis B

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B can result in a serious infection that causes an inflammation of the liver, most often caused by a viral infection. Hepatitis B is transmitted primarily through contact with blood or blood-derived fluids, and it can be spread from one person to another. The most common ways it is spread in the U.S. are by sexual contact, contact with blood or other bodily fluids, and sharing needles. In addition, a mother can pass Hepatitis B to her baby during childbirth. Most people do not experience symptoms immediately after coming into contact with the virus and may be unaware they are carrying the disease until they receive a blood test. Hepatitis B can cause short term illness, also known as acute Hepatitis B, leading to tiredness, muscles and joint pain, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and jaundice. Some people go on to develop chronic Hepatitis B which is a long-lasting infection that occurs when the body can’t get rid of the virus. This can lead to more serious complications such as liver damage, liver cancer, and death.

How do I prevent Hepatitis B?

The best way to prevent Hepatitis B and the serious consequences of the infection is by getting the Hepatitis B vaccine. The vaccine is safe and effective and is usually administered over a six month period for a full course of three injections.

Who needs the Hepatitis B vaccine?

People who are at a higher risk for contracting Hepatitis B include health care workers and people whose jobs exposes them to human blood, anyone traveling to or working in areas where the virus is more widespread, and people with HIV infection, kidney disease, or chronic liver disease.

Pneumonia

What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is generally caused by the bacterium Streptococcus Pneumoniae, but this lung infection can also be caused by different types of bacteria, virus, or fungi. You can fall ill with pneumonia as a result of normal, daily life activities; pneumonia is commonly spread by direct person-to-person contact with respiratory secretions (like saliva or mucus) of an infected person. During flu season, the population in general is at higher risk to contract the disease since having a cold or the flu makes it harder for your lungs to fight infection. Pneumonia and its symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and in some cases can be life-threatening. Individuals with this lung infection usually get very sick with a cough and fever and have a hard time breathing.

How do I prevent Pneumonia?

Vaccination is the best way to prevent pneumococcal disease and is especially important because some strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae are resistant to antibiotics. The pneumonia vaccine prevents serious blood, brain, and lung infections and complications.

Who needs the Pneumonia vaccine?

It’s important that people receive the vaccination especially if they are part of a group that is at a higher risk for getting the infection in the first place. This includes individuals who have sickle cell disease, diabetes, HIV, a compromised immune system, kidney disease, or asthma. In addition, individuals who smoke or reside in a place where people live close together like a dorm or nursing home should get the pneumonia vaccination.

Vitamin B12

What is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is a vitamin naturally found in foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products. B12 is an essential vitamin that is required for the proper functioning and development of the brain, nerves, blood cells, and many other parts of the body. Proper levels of Vitamin B12 protect against memory loss and are useful in boosting mood, energy, concentration, and the immune system. Although most people get enough B12 from a healthy diet, some individuals have difficulty absorbing this essential nutrient and may develop a B12 deficiency. This can damage the nervous system and result in a range of unpleasant symptoms including weakness, tiredness, light-headedness, rapid heartbeat, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, upset stomach, diarrhea or constipation.

How do I prevent a B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 injections are a good way to treat a B12 deficiency or prevent a deficiency from occurring if you have certain conditions such as atrophic gastritis, conditions affecting the small intestine, or immune system disorders. Injecting B12 allows the vitamin to be delivered directly to the bloodstream so that it’s easily absorbed by the body. B12 plays an essential role in cell metabolism, and many injection recipients report increased energy levels and better memory and concentration.

Who needs the Vitamin B12 shot?

Even if you don’t have a B12 deficiency, it’s still a good idea to consider receiving the injection. These injections can give you added energy to keep you feeling your best, especially during flu season when your body may be particularly run down. Higher levels of vitamins, including B12, in the body’s tissues have been shown to increase antibody production by the immune system following flu shots.

Tdap

What is Tdap?

Tdap stands for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, a certainly unpleasant and potentially deadly combination of diseases. Tetanus causes painful muscle tightening and stiffness all over the body and can particularly affect muscles in the head and neck so you can’t open your mouth, swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Diphtheria can cause a thick coating to form in the back of the throat leading to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and death. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, causes severe coughing spells, which can lead to difficulty breathing, vomiting, and disturbed sleep. Diphtheria and pertussis are both spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing, and tetanus enters the body through cuts, scratches or other open wounds.

How do I prevent Tdap?

The Tdap vaccine protects not just the recipient but also the wider community by preventing the spread of these diseases from person to person, and, in so doing, offers some protection to the unvaccinated as well. It’s important that people receive this 3-in-1 vaccine and get the recommended booster every 10 years.

Who needs the Tdap vaccine?

Pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during every pregnancy in order to protect the newborn from pertussis. In addition, caregivers of infants, including grandparents and babysitters, should make sure they have received this vaccination since infants are most at risk for severe, life-threatening complications from pertussis. The Tdap vaccine is also vital for individuals who work in the healthcare industry and have direct contact with patients, as well as people traveling to foreign countries where pertussis is present.

Biometric Screens

What is a biometric screening?

A biometric screening is a key component of a corporate health program, wellness event, or flu clinic. Often times, biometric screenings are the first step in many worksite wellness programs, and successful screenings can set the tone for all future wellness initiatives. These screenings can provide employees with crucial information on current and potential medical issues, allowing them to identify paths for disease prevention as well as improved health and productivity.

How does a biometric screening work?

It’s easy! Height and weight are recorded, BMI is calculated, blood pressure is measured, and basic blood tests that measure cholesterol and blood glucose are performed.

Who needs a biometric screen?

Everyone! Each individual should have basic measures of health, and a biometric screening program for your workforce provides this crucial service to employees and serves as the foundation for future wellness programs.

A flu clinic can be about much more than just preventing the flu (although that is no small feat!). By making additional vaccines and services available to employees, you can promote a healthy workplace all year round!

Tell us, are there other vaccines or services that you think could make an onsite flu event even more beneficial to employees?