Flu Vaccination Rates Among Oregon Health Care Workers Fall to 52 Percent

October 30, 2026 - 22:24

Oregon health officials report that only 52 percent of health care workers in the state have received a flu shot for the 2025-26 season, a figure that raises concerns about patient safety and workplace protection during a period when respiratory illness typically spreads more easily.

The data highlights a continuing downward trend in vaccination uptake among people who work in hospitals, clinics, long term care facilities and other medical settings. Health care workers are regularly exposed to influenza and can pass the virus to patients whose immune systems are already weakened, making higher vaccination coverage an important part of infection control.

In response, state health officials are offering a range of data, tools and resources aimed at encouraging more health care workers to get vaccinated. The materials are designed to help employers and facility leaders organize on site vaccination events, address common questions and concerns, and track their own coverage rates throughout the season.

Officials stress that flu vaccination remains one of the simplest ways to reduce severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths, and that protecting staff also helps keep facilities fully staffed during peak flu months. Facilities are encouraged to review their current numbers, identify barriers to vaccination and use the available resources to improve access for employees on all shifts.