Severe PI: Healthcare Q&A 5: Question 4: Will my employer be able to provide shots to protect me from pandemic influenza? (p. 13) A vaccine against a specific pandemic influenza strain will likely not be available until after the pandemic begins. But vaccinations against seasonal influenza during the WHO's Interpandemic and Pandemic Alert Period can reduce co-infections and might ameliorate pandemic effects. A monovalent vaccine is expected to start becoming available within four-to-six months after identification of a specific pandemic virus strain. The HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan recommends that healthcare workers be included on the priority list when the availability of pandemic influenza vaccinations is limited. The DHHS/DHS Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Allocation and Targeting Guidance was released in August 2008 and is available [2 MB PDF, 26 pages]. Question 5: How can I protect my coworkers and help prevent transmission of pandemic influenza within the healthcare facility? (p. 17) Healthcare employers and employees should work together to develop an institutional safety climate that encourages compliance with recommended infection control practices. Healthcare administrators should emphasize those aspects of infection control already identified as "weak links" in the chain of infectious precautions -- adherence to hand hygiene, consistent and proper use of PPE, and influenza vaccination of healthcare workers. For guidance on when to stay home and when to return to work, see the Department of Veterans Affairs When to Return to Your Workplace or to School [911 KB PDF, 2 pages]. Question 6: How do I protect my family? A Guide for Individuals and Families, a checklist, and forms for family health information to help guide your planning and preparation are available, see Pandemic Influenza Planning: A Guide for Individuals and Families [5 MB PDF, 18 pages]. Question 7: What else can I do to prepare? Read: Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers. [405 KB PDF, 104 pages] Visit: One-stop access to U.S. government avian and pandemic flu information, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. See more from topic source: https://www.osha.gov/html/a-z-index.html