10/08/2025
For senior living communities, the flu poses a serious threat to residents and staff due to older adults being at greater risk of complications. Here are the CDC's guides for long-term care facilities this year:
Annual Vaccination for All – Offer influenza vaccine to all residents and healthcare personnel each year; employees who refuse should complete a declination.
Preferential Vaccines for Seniors – Use high-dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant flu vaccines for residents 65+ for greater protection.
Active Surveillance & Early Testing – Monitor for influenza-like illness among staff, residents, and visitors; test symptomatic individuals promptly.
Infection Control Measures – Use droplet precautions, isolate or cohort ill residents, enforce hand hygiene, and restrict ill staff from working.
Antiviral Use & Chemoprophylaxis – Administer antivirals to confirmed cases, and consider prophylaxis for exposed residents during outbreaks.
Clear Sick-Leave Policies – Encourage staff with fever or symptoms to stay home until fully recovered, without penalty.
Make sure you and your staff are doing everything you can to protect resident and team health this season.