ohcVaccinesCompliance

Occupational Health offers the OHC Comes to You program (pop-up immunization and screening events) to help meet the needs of our faculty and staff across the many locations that make up our community.

Visit the OHC Comes to You event calendar for dates and locations of upcoming events. 

Interested in scheduling an on-site visit from Occupational Health? Managers may request an OHC on-site event through the OHC Comes to You Request Form.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to visit the Occupational Health Clinic for the COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025) beginning September 9, 2024.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine will be available to VU employees through the Occupational Health Clinic and will be billed to your personal insurance.

VUMC follows CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccination.

Frequently Asked Questions:

I want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. What locations can I visit? 

• VU faculty, staff, and postdocs can obtain a vaccine at the Occupational Health Clinic on the 6th floor of the Medical Arts Building. Monday-Friday, 7:00 am-4:30 pm. Walk-in services are available. VU insurance will be billed for the cost of vaccination.
• VUMC patients may also contact their primary care physician or schedule through the MyHealth at Vanderbilt app. COVID-19 vaccines are also available at retail clinics and pharmacies throughout the region. To find a location near you, visit Vanderbilt Health.
• Working outside of Tennessee? Visit vaccines.gov to find a COVID-19 vaccine location near you.

Can I still work if I experience side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine?

• After you get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, watch for symptoms and follow the steps below. Don't be surprised if you feel bad after your shot. Your side effects may be stronger if you have had COVID-19 previously or you have had COVID-19 vaccines previously.
  • No Symptoms or Vaccine Site Symptoms Only: These include redness, pain, or swelling in the arm where you got your shot. You can go to work.
  • New Onset of Chills, Muscle Aches, Headache, Fever of 100oF (37.3oC) or higher: You can go to work if signs start within 48 hours and last no more than 48 hours. They may be a reaction to the vaccine. If symptoms last more than 48 hours or start 48 hours after vaccine, you should seek medical care and evaluation or perform a COVID test. In this case, do not go to work.
  • New Onset of Loss of Taste or Smell, Cough, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Upper Respiratory Symptoms including Congestion and Sore Throat: You should get a medical evaluation or perform a COVID test if symptoms last more than 48 hours or start 48 hours after vaccine. In this case, do not go to work.

I need to report an adverse reaction.

• If you received the vaccine at Occupational Health, please call to schedule an evaluation.  If you received the vaccine outside of Occupational Health, you may present at Occupational Health for an evaluation, and you may report the adverse reaction at https://vaers.hhs.gov/.

COVID-19 Vaccine Questions?

• Call the Occupational Health Clinic at 615-936-0955 between 7 AM and 4:30 PM Monday - Friday.

How can I get a test for COVID-19? 

• VU employees may obtain COVID-19 home antigen test kits for symptomatic testing.
  • at retail pharmacies
  • at COVIDTests.gov
• VU workforce members may visit the Occupational Health Clinic, Medical Arts Building, 6th Floor, for symptomatic COVID-19 testing. Appointments can be made online through My Health at Vanderbilt or by calling 615-936-0955. Walk-in visits are also available. Note: Your insurance will be charged for tests given by the Occupational Health Clinic.

Hepatitis B vaccine is provided at no charge to Vanderbilt faculty/staff who are exposed to human blood or other potentially infectious materials in their job, and when needed to meet VUMC immunization compliance requirements.

Flu is a contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses that typically circulate between October and May each year. To help protect employees, and the larger community that we serve, the Occupational Health Clinic provides a comprehensive flu vaccine program for all VU faculty and staff.

VUMC Nashville Locations

• 7:00am - 4:30pm M-F at OHC in Suite 640 MAB (no appointment needed).
• 8:00am - 11:30am every Thursday at OHO (located in VPEC Suite 21100; no appointment needed).
• Flulapalooza®

• At any OHC Comes To You event. 

   

The meningitis vaccine protects against certain strains of bacterial meningitis. Occupational Health provides this vaccine at no charge to faculty/staff who have occupational reason to receive the meningitis vaccine, such as:

• Living in a freshman dormitory (such as the Peabody Commons dormitories);
• Working with Neisseria meningitidis in a laboratory;
• Planning a business trip to an area of the world where the disease is common.

The CDC does not recommend routine meningitis vaccination for healthcare workers. If work exposure to bacterial meningitis occurs, OHC protects the exposed employee(s) with antibiotic prophylaxis.

Additional Resource:
Meningitis Vaccine Information

Meningitis B vaccine is separate from the traditional MenACWY vaccine. Young adults and residential faculty are recommended to have vaccine as additional protection against serogroup B. The meningococcal B vaccine is:

• A 2 dose series, and you must use the same brand vaccine for both doses;
• Recommended for travel to areas with disease outbreak, to anyone with a damaged spleen or asplenia, or microbiologists who routinely work with isolates of N. meningitidis.

Additional Resource:
Meningitis B Vaccine Information

All VU faculty/staff can provide proof of immunization or immunity against rubella, and those born on or after 1/1/1957 can provide proof of immunization or immunity against measles and mumps also.

Live Vaccine FAQs:

• I'm pregnant and cannot take live vaccines. What should I do? Notify OHC of your pregnancy along with your estimated delivery date and receive a temporary exemption from the MMR/varicella vaccine requirement. You will need to take the vaccine after you deliver unless you can provide proof of immunity or vaccination.

Mpox vaccine is indicated when there is a high-risk exposure or for certain employees (such as lab personnel) working with mpox. If you have been exposed to mpox either by a patient or in the community, please call the Tennessee Department of Health. They will help determine if post-exposure vaccination is indicated and will provide the vaccine if needed. OHC can obtain mpox vaccine for pre-exposure prophylaxis from the CDC for certain employees working with mpox.

At this time, the CDC does not advise most healthcare workers to receive the mpox vaccine.

How to report your mpox vaccine to Occupational Health:

Complete the Self-Report of Mpox Vaccine REDCap to update your Occupational Health record, if you have received the mpox vaccine outside of the Occupational Health Clinic.

Additional information on mpox infection, exposure, and treatment can be found at Treatment for Exposure to Mpox.

Additional Resources:
Smallpox/Mpox Vaccine Information Sheet (JYNNEOS)

The shingles vaccine is a highly effective vaccine to help prevent shingles (painful rash). The 2 dose shingles vaccine series is recommended for:

• Individuals 50 years and older; or
• Individuals 19 years and older who have a weakened immune system

When administered by the Occupational Health Clinic, the shingles vaccine will be billed to your insurance.

Additional Resource:
Shingles Vaccine Information

Researchers sometimes use the vaccinia virus, which is the virus used in the smallpox vaccine. Pre-exposure vaccination protects workers from potential complications of accidental exposure. Research faculty and staff may obtain the smallpox vaccine from OHC at no cost.

Additional Resources:

Smallpox/Mpox Vaccine Information Sheet (JYNNEOS)
Smallpox CDC Information
CDC Smallpox Hotline:  888-246-2675

TB screening is accomplished either by a TB skin test or a TB blood test.

TB skin tests should be read 2 to 3 days after they are placed. Any physician, nurse practitioner, or TB designee can read your TB skin test. If you do not have access to someone who is qualified to read your skin test, come to the Occupational Health Clinic or any OHC Comes to You event.

Tuberculosis - Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is tuberculosis (TB)? Tuberculosis is an airborne communicable disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).
• How do you get TB? TB is spread by tiny airborne particles that may be generated when a person with infectious tuberculosis sneezes, coughs, speaks or sings. Infection occurs when a susceptible person inhales these infected droplets.
• Who is required to be TB  tested? All new employees of the medical center are required to be screened for   TB through either TB n testing or a TB blood test. If you receive a TB skin test, the first TB skin test will be administered at the initial Occupational Health evaluation. The second TB skin test should be administered two weeks later.. Positive TB skin tests will be followed up with a blood test to confirm the result.
• How often must you be tested? No routine testing is required after your new hire screening has been completed. Please note: individuals working with non-human primates or tuberculosis bacteria in a research setting will need to be tested on at least an annual basis. If you have a known exposure to tuberculosis during the year, additional testing is required..
• When should my TB skin test be read? The TB skin test must be read within 48 to 72 hours after it is placed. If it is not read within this time limit, a repeat test will be required.
• Can I read my own test and call in my results? No one may read his/her own skin test. A trained reader must read your TB skin test. Trained readers include: any physician, advanced practice nurses, most Occupational Health Clinic staff, and certain persons from designated units that have been trained/certified by OHC.
• What if my test is negative? If your TB skin test is negative, no further action is needed until your next scheduled testing or following an exposure.
• What if my test is positive? If your TB skin test is positive, you will have a follow up blood test to confirm the result. If the blood test is also positive, you must have a chest x-ray. If you receive a TB blood test initially instead of a TB skin test, and the TB blood test is positive, you will also need a chest x-ray.  You will not need to take another TB skin test – it may always be positive. You will need an appointment with an OHC provider to decide if further evaluation and/or treatment are needed.
• I had BCG Vaccine. Do I have to be tested? You will still need to have a TB  test.
• I am pregnant, should I still have a TB skin test? Vanderbilt does not exempt pregnant women from TB testing. This is supported by the CDC. Testing is safe in pregnancy and healthcare workers are at risk of acquiring TB, so pregnant women in occupational testing programs should be screened as usual.
• How do I obtain a copy of my TB skin test reading? Log in to the Health and Wellness Information Portal for a printable copy of your immunization record, which includes your latest TB test results.

Additional Resources:
CDC Basic TB Facts

Tetanus booster vaccines are available in two forms:

• Td vaccine protects against tetanus and diphtheria;
• Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough)

The Occupational Health Clinic provides Tdap vaccines if needed to meet VUMC immunization compliance.

Td vaccine is available through OHC for work-related injuries. Elective vaccinations also are available and will be billed to personal insurance.

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis FAQs:

• Why is this required? Each year dozens of employees - especially in pediatrics and emergency areas - get exposed to pertussis. Vaccination reduces the chance you'll get sick. Also, there have been well-documented cases in which caregivers have transmitted pertussis to infants, and we don't want that to happen here.
• Why is it only required in some areas? These are the primary areas where patients with pertussis or vulnerable newborns are seen. In the future the policy may expand in scope, but the immediate need is to protect the highest risk areas first.
• I had whooping cough already - do I still need a Tdap vaccine? Yes, the CDC recommends taking the vaccine regardless of disease history. This is because the duration of protection induced by pertussis disease is unknown (waning might begin as early as 7 years after infection) and because the diagnosis of pertussis can be difficult to confirm.
• I've had a blood test that shows I have immunity to pertussis. Do I need a Tdap vaccine? Yes, the CDC recommends taking the vaccine regardless of disease history or previous diagnostic test results. This is because the duration of protection induced by pertussis disease is unknown (waning might begin as early as 7 years after infection.)
• How can I check to see if I'm required to have a Tdap? Log in to the Health and Wellness Information Portal and look at the Occupational Health Status page. If pertussis is listed in your hazard programs, you're in the group required to have a Tdap. You'll also see your compliance status listed.
• What's the difference between Tdap and DTaP? DTP and DTaP are given in the childhood vaccine series while Tdap is an adolescent or adult booster. The capital letter P in the childhood vaccines indicate that they contain a higher dose of pertussis vaccine than Tdap does.
• Why are you not counting the Tdap vaccine I had before May 2005? Tdap was first licensed on 5/3/2005. If you have an immunization record indicating that you received a Tdap prior to that date, it is an error because Tdap did not exist at that time.
• I had a Tdap more than 10 years ago. Do I need another one? No, you just need one dose of Tdap unless you have a special risk. For instance, women should get another Tdap booster with every pregnancy.
• Can I get a plain pertussis vaccine without the tetanus or diphtheria part? No, the only formulation for a pertussis booster available is the Tdap.
• The CDC says to take Tdap when you are 11 or 12 years old, but I never had it then. Am I too old to get it now? It's not too late and it's safe to get the Tdap as an adult.
• Can I take Tdap in pregnancy? Yes, in fact it is recommended that you get a Tdap with every pregnancy.
• Is it OK to get a Tdap if I had a regular Td recently? If you've never had a Tdap before you should get it regardless of when your last tetanus booster was. Taking two doses of tetanus vaccine close together does mean you are more likely to have mild local reactions, like redness, soreness, warmth and tenderness at the injection site. This is not dangerous, but it can be alarming if you aren't expecting it.

Additional Resources:
Td Vaccine Information Sheet
Tdap Vaccine Information Sheet

The varicella (chicken pox) vaccine is a two dose immunization series which provides immunity to chicken pox. The vaccine is recommended for adults who lack natural immunity.

Due to storage requirements, the varicella vaccine is available only at Occupational Health Clinic (Medical Arts Building, 6th Floor) or at One Hundred Oaks on Thursdays, 8:00 am – 11:30 am.

The Occupational Health Clinic provides varicella vaccines at no cost, if needed to meet VUMC immunization compliance. Elective vaccinations also are available and will be billed to personal insurance.

Live Vaccine FAQs:

• I'm pregnant and cannot take live vaccines. What should I do? Notify OHC of your pregnancy along with your estimated delivery date and receive a temporary exemption from the MMR/varicella vaccine requirement. You will need to take the vaccine after you deliver unless you can provide proof of immunity or vaccination.

Typhoid Fever

Vaccination is recommended for people traveling to places where typhoid fever is common, such as South Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

Typhoid immunizations are available as an oral live vaccine or an inactivated typhoid vaccine through injection. Vaccines should be administered at least two weeks prior to travel.

Additional Information: CDC Typhoid Vaccine Information

Japanese Encephalitis

Travelers going to certain areas of Asia for prolonged periods and pending certain circumstances are recommended to have a Japanese encephalitis vaccine. A travel consultation with Occupational Health can help to determine if a Japanese encephalitis vaccine is recommended for your upcoming travel.

Additional Information: CDC Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Information

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended when traveling to certain areas of the world. A travel consultation with Occupational Health can help to determine if hepatitis A vaccine is recommended.

Additional Information: CDC Hepatitis A vaccine information

Meningitis B

Meningococcal B vaccine is recommended for travel to areas with disease outbreak as well as anyone with a damaged spleen or asplenic, or Microbiologists who routinely work with isolates of N. meningitidis.

Additional Information: CDC Meningitis B vaccine information