For the second year in a row, ChristianaCare vaccinated the majority of its 12,000 caregivers from the flu in a single day event – #HitMeWithYourFluShot.
The event is designed to support ChristianaCare’s voluntary employee vaccination campaign that annually tops 90 percent of all employees vaccinated. The single-day event also doubles as an emergency preparedness drill, simulating the logistical challenges that would need to be managed if the health system ever needed to rapidly mobilize to vaccinate all of its employees in an emergency.
In a one-day blitz included 100 locations in four states, from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m., ChristianaCare vaccinated 8,035 caregivers, beating its target and eclipsing last year’s record of 7,868.
“Our #HitMeWithYourFluShot campaign is a shining example of how we serve together, guided by our values of Love and Excellence,” said Marci Drees, M.D., chief infection prevention officer, and hospital epidemiologist. “By vaccinating so many of our caregivers in a single day, we protect our employees, our patients and our community from influenza. We also lead by example, demonstrating the importance that everyone get an annual flu vaccination.”
During the event, flu vaccination stations operated for 18 consecutive hours at ChristianaCare’s two hospital campuses—Newark and Wilmington.
At ChristanaCare’s satellite sites in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey—nearly 100 locations — roving teams dropped off vaccination kits or administered vaccines so caregivers could get vaccinated. Those sites include primary care, specialty care, medical aid units, imaging, laboratory, rehabilitation services and non-clinical sites.
Another option was a drive-through vaccination station at ChristianaCare’s Newark campus.
Employees who were not working that day could get vaccinated without leaving their vehicle Many employees who used the drive-through location were able to cruise through while running their errands for the day, sometimes with the kids or family dog in the car.
Employees were encouraged to pre-register for their flu shot using paperless forms in the weeks leading up to the drill. That improved the efficiency of the event.
Between 36,400 and 61,200 Americans died from the flu last year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, the flu hospitalized more than 500,000 people and hit 40 million Americans.
Employees who were not vaccinated during the event will have other opportunities to get vaccinated this year.
ChristianaCare is the largest private employer in Delaware.
