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Encourage Your Employees to Keep Up to Date with Vaccines

Last fall, President Joe Biden declared that the COVID-19 "pandemic is over" – a public comment that created controversy and some confusion for many Americans. In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the end of the public health emergency. The federal government has rolled back many programs that were designed to provide relief for Americans impacted by the pandemic, and many communities have suspended their mask mandates. People are flocking to public events again and media coverage of COVID has dwindled. As a result, polls show that fewer Americans consider COVID to be a threat. Can we really stop worrying about COVID, or is this just wishful thinking?

Doctor applying bandaid to woman's arm.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases, responded that COVID-19 will never go away and many new variants are likely to develop. While infection rates vary from week to week, Americans continue to be hospitalized and die from complications of the COVID-19 virus. The death and hospitalization rates among people who are not up to date on their COVID vaccinations are higher than for those who are protected by the vaccine.

This is nothing new. Influenza (the flu) has posed a threat for centuries. Although some years are worse than others, the CDC estimate that between 12,000 and 52,000 Americans died from the flu every year between 2010 and 2020.

While frequent and proper handwashing, wearing a mask and keeping a 6-foot distance from others are all good ways to cut the risk of infection for COVID-19, flu and other infectious diseases, keeping up to date with vaccinations is the single most effective way to avoid serious illness or death. The CDC recommends that everyone aged six months and older should be vaccinated – with rare exception.

Vaccination infographic

As an employer, you want to help your employees to stay healthy – it's good for the productivity of your business and may keep health care costs down. Encouraging employees to stay current with vaccines recommended by the CDC is an important part of keeping them healthy. Consider taking these steps to help your employees:

  • Encourage your employees to stay home when they feel sick. Create a work culture where employees feel it is acceptable to call in sick when they have symptoms of illness.
  • Promote the importance and safety of vaccines by including the following reasons to get vaccinated in your employee communications plan.
    • Vaccines protect you and your loved ones. They are the best way to protect against certain preventable diseases. By getting vaccinated you can both avoid getting sick yourself and spreading illnesses to others in your community. Some people cannot have vaccinations because of young or old age, or because they have a compromised immune system. Illnesses may be especially dangerous for them and by getting vaccinated, you reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others.
    • Vaccines are effective. We live in a world in which people are coming and going from different countries every day. As a result, we may be exposed to diseases that are no longer common in the U.S. – by touching elevator buttons, doorknobs, shopping carts, or simply breathing in microscopic particles that hang in the air. Staying up to date with vaccines and booster shots can help prevent illnesses that can make you very sick or even be fatal.
    • Vaccines can prevent serious illness. Some preventable diseases lead to serious complications. For example, influenza can lead to pneumonia, stroke or heart attacks. By getting vaccinated, you are protected against the immediate effects of a virus, as well as serious or fatal complications from the illness.
    • Vaccines are safe. The CDC and other experts carefully review safety data before recommending any vaccine. Vaccines can have side effects, but most are mild and go away within a few days. Serious or long-lasting side effects are extremely rare.
    • Vaccines may be required. Some vaccines are required for school, work, travel and more.
    • It's easy to find a vaccine. You can visit vaccines.gov to learn where you can get a flu, COVID-19, or other vaccines at a location near you.
  • Provide health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health, people who have health insurance are more likely to get preventive and screening services. Allstate Benefits offers health care coverage that complies with the preventive services requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Preventive services such as vaccines and screening tests are covered at 100%, removing any financial barriers to care.

Learn more about health coverage options through Allstate Benefits.

The Self-Funded Program through Allstate Benefits provides tools for employers owning small to mid-sized businesses to establish a self-funded health benefit plan for their employees. The benefit plan is established by the employer and is not an insurance product. Allstate Benefits is a marketing name for: Integon National Insurance Company in CT, NY and VT; Integon Indemnity Corporation in FL; and National Health Insurance Company in CO, WA and all other states where offered. For employers in the Allstate Benefits Self-Funded Program, stop loss insurance is underwritten by these insurance companies in the noted states.

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