Healthcare Professionals

What You Need to Know

  • New Jersey law requires healthcare workers to get a flu shot unless they have a medical contraindication.
  • The flu shot protects yourself, your patients and residents and your loved ones.
  • Getting the annual flu shot and staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccination (along with RSV if recommended) is more important than ever to protect healthcare workers and their loved ones and patients.

Toolkit

DISCLAIMER

The New Jersey Hospital Association’s (NJHA) Influenza Vaccination Implementation Toolkit (hereinafter “materials”) are intended to be tools that health care facilities may use to implement and comply with the requirements of New Jersey’s new influenza vaccination law enacted in January 2020, N.J.S.A. § 26:2H-18.79-18.81 (P.L. 2019, c. 330). The information provided in these materials should not be relied upon or regarded as medical or legal advice. No specific representation is made, nor should be implied, nor shall NJHA or any other party involved in creating, producing or delivering this material be liable in any manner whatsoever for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of your use of these materials. NJHA makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or referenced herein. This publication is provided “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you. All images and information contained in these materials are copyrighted and otherwise proprietary. No use of this information is permitted without the prior written consent of NJHA. If you have other questions or concerns, please contact NJHA at 609-275-4089.

NJHA’s NJ Fights Flu toolkit provides resources to support education and implementation of New Jersey’s new flu vaccination law for healthcare workers. Flu vaccination is more important than ever to protect ourselves, our patients and residents, and our communities amid a potential “twindemic” of COVID-19 and influenza.

Highlights of Law

  • The state law, enacted in January 2020, requires all employees of hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies to get a flu vaccine.
  • The only exceptions to the vaccination requirement are for those individuals who have a valid medical reason. Those who seek the medical exemption must complete an attestation form to be submitted to NJDOH.
  • Healthcare work sites must provide an employee vaccination effort between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
  • Other employer requirements include employee education, reporting to the state the overall employee vaccination rate and documentation of all employees who qualify for a medical exemption.

This implementation toolkit includes:

More Flu Resources

Information for the 2024-2025 Flu Season | CDC

CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance | CDC

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC

Information for Health Professionals | CDC

Interim Guidance for Influenza Outbreak Management in Long-Term Care and Post-Acute Care Facilities | CDC

Summary of Recommendations (cdc.gov)

NJDOH Seasonal Influenza Resources

NJDOH Flu Basics Flyer

NJDOH Healthcare Worker Flyer