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• Immunization status for vaccine-preventable diseases: Healthcare personnel should know their immunization status for the vaccine-preventable diseases they are likely to encounter in the course of their work. Healthcare facilities often provide no-cost immunity testing and vaccines to nonimmune healthcare personnel. Vaccine-preventable diseases to which healthcare personnel should be immunized or against which healthcare personnel should demonstrate immunity include hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and influenza. Healthcare personnel caring for pediatric patients should also be vaccinated against pertussis, as adults represent the reservoir for the disease for the undervaccinated pediatric population.
• Work restrictions for healthcare workers with a communicable disease: Healthcare organizations should enforce work restrictions to healthcare personnel demonstrating a communicable disease. The risk to the remainder of the workforce and to patients recovering from surgery has been demonstrated. For example, a healthcare worker with upper respiratory symptoms should not be allowed to work until the fever has abated for more than 24 hours and respiratory symptoms improve. Facility policies should be developed to provide guidance for symptomatic healthcare personnel management.