In a recent analysis conducted by The Inquirer, it was found that the percentage of workers vaccinated against COVID-19 was higher than those vaccinated against the flu at several hospitals in the Philadelphia region. The data, sourced from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), sheds light on the vaccination rates among hospital workers.

Jefferson Health's Abington Memorial Hospital stood out with an impressive statistic, as three out of four workers at the hospital received their COVID-19 vaccines. However, the rates were much lower at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic hospitals, with only 40% of staff at Mercy Fitzgerald, Nazareth, and St. Mary opting to get their flu shots.

The report comes at a time when the number of respiratory illnesses is increasing and hospitals are reinstating mask mandates for visitors. The analysis showed that even within hospitals, there were variations in vaccination rates. For instance, at Temple University Hospital, all employees were vaccinated against COVID-19, but only 60% received their flu shots.

CMS required hospitals participating in Medicare to ensure their workers received the COVID-19 vaccine until last summer. However, the agency now focuses on tracking the initial series of COVID shots administered in December 2020, rather than later booster shots. Hospitals were required to report the vaccination status of employees for COVID-19 between October 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, and for the flu between October 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.

Notably, discrepancies in vaccination rates among hospitals may be attributed to various factors. Different vaccination requirements for healthcare workers across counties, states, and employers during the specified time period might have influenced these differences. Some areas, like Philadelphia, still mandate COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers, while others do not.

Temple University Hospital has acknowledged the need for improvement in its flu vaccination rate and is actively working to increase it. Trinity Health, on the other hand, attributed its lower reported flu rates to data tracking issues. Jefferson Health declined to comment on the findings without independently evaluating the data.

As the region grapples with rising respiratory illnesses and the need for continued protection against COVID-19, these vaccination rate discrepancies highlight the importance of uniform policies and efforts to promote vaccination among healthcare workers.