Flu Information for Residential Facility Managers

Long-term care and other residential living facilities include nursing homes, assisted living, adult day care, group homes, senior housing, shelters, correctional facilities, camps, and substance abuse facilities. Residents of these facilities may have a high risk of infections and complications during flu outbreaks. (more)

Vaccine Storage and Handling

The Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have prepared materials to help managers who will oversee flu vaccinations on their sites. These include a refrigerator temperature log, a vaccine storage and handling checklist, and instructions for the use of Vaccine Information Statements.

What You Should Do During a Flu Outbreak

• Restrict people with flu-like symptoms from visiting residents.
• Separate residents with flu-like symptoms from healthy residents. If sick residents cannot be placed in single rooms, consider creating temporary physical barriers between beds using sheets or curtains.
• Designate a limited number of staff members to care exclusively for sick residents. (Staff members should not be pregnant or have chronic health conditions.)
• Provide sick individuals and direct care staff with facemasks (if tolerable).
• Open windows when possible to maintain good ventilation in shared areas.
• Routinely clean commonly-touched surfaces with household disinfectants.
• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but they should not be shared without thorough washing. Staff members should avoid “hugging” laundry before washing it to prevent contaminating themselves.
• Be aware of the special health needs of people at increased risk of flu-related complications.
• Remind residents and staff to take actions to prevent the spread of flu.