OKLAHOMA CITY -- Three metro hospitals are giving their employees an ultimatum in an effort to protect their patients and staff from seasonal and H1N1 flu. It's a policy coming from the Hospital Corporation of America, which is affiliated with OU Medical Center, Edmond Medical Center and Oklahoma Surgicare.
It requires a vaccination shot for seasonal influenza, or a not-so-subtle change to their outfit.
"We have a lot of high-risk patients here at OU Medical Center," says Infection Control Manager Margaret Tannehill, "and we want to protect them."
Tannehill says starting October 1, employees who haven't received a seasonal flu shot will be required to wear a surgical mask for their entire shift.
Leslie Buford, the Edmond Medical Center Director of Communications, says cough stations were set up in their hospital earlier this summer.
"It's part of the social distancing policy that the Centers for Disease Control is already suggesting," Buford says, "and it's adding on another layer of protection."
Tannehill hopes all their employees understand the importance of getting the vaccine.
"You just need to get (the flu) once," Tannehill says. "I mean, really get the flu and be in bed for 4 or 5 days and have a fever and ache so bad you can't get out, then maybe you become a believer."
Hospital officials say wearing a surgical mask can be more than 99% effective in keeping influenza from being spread through sneezing and coughing.
It requires a vaccination shot for seasonal influenza, or a not-so-subtle change to their outfit.
"We have a lot of high-risk patients here at OU Medical Center," says Infection Control Manager Margaret Tannehill, "and we want to protect them."
Tannehill says starting October 1, employees who haven't received a seasonal flu shot will be required to wear a surgical mask for their entire shift.
Leslie Buford, the Edmond Medical Center Director of Communications, says cough stations were set up in their hospital earlier this summer.
"It's part of the social distancing policy that the Centers for Disease Control is already suggesting," Buford says, "and it's adding on another layer of protection."
Tannehill hopes all their employees understand the importance of getting the vaccine.
"You just need to get (the flu) once," Tannehill says. "I mean, really get the flu and be in bed for 4 or 5 days and have a fever and ache so bad you can't get out, then maybe you become a believer."
Hospital officials say wearing a surgical mask can be more than 99% effective in keeping influenza from being spread through sneezing and coughing.
