Loyola University Medical Center established a mandatory flu vaccination policy for employees, students, volunteers and contractors in 2009. In the first year, 99.2 percent of healthcare personnel received the vaccine, 0.7 percent were exempted for religious or medical reasons and 0.1 percent refused vaccination and terminated employment. The high flu vaccination rate has continued: In 2012, 98.7 percent of personnel received vaccination, 1.2 percent were exempted and only 0.06 refused.
Of the five people who refused vaccination in 2012, three were unpaid volunteers who later decided to receive vaccination and returned to the hospital, and two were part-time staff, meaning the true vaccine-refusal rate was 0.002 percent, according to the news release.
Over four years, fewer than 15 healthcare personnel out of approximately 8,000 — less than 0.19 percent — chose to end employment rather than receive vaccination, according to the release.
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