Free flu shots for JHU employees and their spouses, domestic partners

The Johns Hopkins University Office of Health, Safety and Environment will begin offering free influenza vaccines to faculty and staff, as well as their eligible spouses and same-sex domestic partners, in late October.

Vaccination sessions for those who are not affiliated with the School of Medicine start on Monday, Oct. 20, and continue at locations across the university over a nearly four-week span through Thursday, Nov. 13. A full schedule of vaccination sessions and locations is available online.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that, with few exceptions, everyone 6 months of age or older be vaccinated for flu every year. The free shot is available to full-time university employees and their spouses or same-sex domestic partners (children are not eligible). Part-time employees for whom the university is the primary employer and their spouses and same-sex domestic partners are also eligible.

Employees must accompany spouses and domestic partners at the time of their vaccine. Employees should bring their university IDs. Everyone should wear clothing that makes upper arms accessible; the flu shot is given in the muscle of the upper arm near the shoulder.

For more information, contact Occupational Health Services at 410-955-6211 (the East Baltimore office) or 410-516-0450 (the Homewood office).

Employees of the School of Medicine or of the Johns Hopkins Health System should visit http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hse/occupational_health/flu_campaign.html for information on flu vaccination.

Students should check with the student health centers serving their own schools or campuses. All Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, and students who have direct patient contact at a Johns Hopkins Medicine facility are covered by a mandatory vaccination policy. This includes patient contact through academic, research, and volunteer activities.