FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2013
Contact: Isaac Baker, 202-258-9540
As New York’s flu season remains widespread and severe, NYS Health Commissioner and leaders of PQC from Montefiore and 1199SEIU together urge health care workers to get immunized
New York, NY – Leaders of the Partnership for Quality Care (PQC) and New York State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H., held a press conference at Montefiore Medical Center today urging all health care workers to get a flu vaccination to keep themselves, their patients, their colleagues, and their families safe.
Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a public health emergency in response to the flu epidemic and asked New Yorkers to get vaccinated.
“This year we’re seeing the worst outbreak of the flu in a decade or more,” said Dr. Shah. “Flu vaccinations are the best way to protect against influenza, and we strongly urge everyone who has not received a vaccination yet to do so as soon as possible. As caregivers to patients, including many who have chronic conditions or are more susceptible to flu infections and complications, it is vital that all health care workers be vaccinated against influenza. Moreover, we recommend that everyone over 6 months of age be protected against the flu every year. And since flu often continues into late winter or early spring, vaccination at this time of the year is not too late.”
PQC Board Member and Montefiore President and CEO Steven Safyer, M.D., lauded the collaboration between health care providers and caregivers to improve the health and safety of everyone in the community.
“We have focused on making it as easy as possible for all staff — doctors, nurses, social workers and more — to receive the safe and effective flu vaccine,” Dr. Safyer said. “We are united by a deep commitment to do everything we can to keep ourselves, our patients, our colleagues and our families as healthy as possible.”
PQC Board Member and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East President George Gresham highlighted his members’ pride at being on the front lines of patient care.
“1199SEIU members all along the East Coast, from Massachusetts to
Florida, are committed to healthy lives for their patients, their families and their communities,” Gresham said. “Together with PQC, we will continue this important effort to ensure that health care workers get immunized and that our hospitals, nursing homes and home health care sites continue to provide patients with the highest quality care.”
The Partnership for Quality Care is a national labor-management coalition committed to ensuring quality, affordable healthcare for everyone in America. It includes public, private, religious, teaching, and non-profit hospitals nationwide and integrated health systems and the nation’s largest healthcare union, SEIU, with more than one million nurses, doctors and healthcare workers. Our members care for more than 50 million patients annually. Please visit our website www.pqc-usa.org, and follow us on Twitter at @pqcnews.
###
