Infectious Respiratory Illness
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Related Topics
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Diphtheria
- Enterovirus D68
- Influenza (flu)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b
- Legionellosis (Legionella): Legionnaires' Disease and Pontiac Fever
- Measles (rubeola)
- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
- Pertussis
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
- Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI)
- Tuberculosis
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
- Immunization
- Cover Your Cough
- Hand Hygiene
Contact Info
RespSafe
RespSafe is an immunization improvement program for employees of long-term care facilities and hospitals designed to protect health care workers and their most vulnerable patients through increasing influenza and COVID-19 immunization rates of health care personnel. |  |
About RespSafe
Long-term care (LTC) facilities and hospitals will be recognized for having high influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccination rates among their health care personnel and for implementing vaccination activities. Participating organizations will implement two best practice strategies to improve vaccination coverage and track their rates between Oct. 1 to Mar. 31, to align with the CDC: National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) reporting guidelines. Recommended strategies to improve vaccination coverage for health care personnel can be found on Vaccinating Health Care Workers: Influenza and COVID-19.
To receive updates via email on the RespSafe program, enter your email address at the bottom of this webpage. If you have questions about RespSafe contact Health.RespSafe.MDH@state.mn.us.
Who is eligible
- Minnesota LTC facilities and hospitals. The definition of a LTC facility can be found on Minnesota Department of Human Services 2.4.2.4 MA-LTC Long-Term Care Facility Services.
- Health care personnel are defined as all paid employees and licensed independent practitioners who are physically present in the health care facility for at least one working day from Oct. 1 through Mar. 31 of the current respiratory season.
Instructions for participating
Those who choose to participate in RespSafe must enroll in VaxCheck, a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) application that allows LTC facilities and hospitals to invite employees to sign an electronic consent form so that MDH can share their flu and COVID-19 immunization data for the current respiratory season based on data reported to the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC).
Those who participate in MIIC are reminded that accessing an employee’s immunization history for employment verification or any other purposes is not allowable. RespSafe participating organizations must still enroll in VaxCheck, even if they will track their employee’s immunization status outside of VaxCheck.
Steps to participate
- Email Health.VaxCheck@state.mn.us to receive detailed instructions on how to use VaxCheck, and follow the directions provided to enroll your organization in VaxCheck.
- Select at least two activities that your organization will implement throughout the respiratory season. Recommended strategies to improve health care worker immunization rates can be found on Vaccinating Health Care Workers: Influenza and COVID-19.
- After your organization is enrolled in VaxCheck, submit the RespSafe registration form.
- Optional: Use VaxCheck functionality to collect consent from your employees to receive their flu and COVID immunization information from MIIC.
- By May 15 submit your RespSafe report in VaxCheck.
- Watch your inbox for an email from MDH with the details on the recognition tier your organization achieved.
Recognition tiers
- Bronze: Participated and implemented strategies but did not meet 80% coverage goals.
- Silver: Participated and implemented strategies, met 80% coverage goal for flu OR COVID-19.
- Gold: Participated and implemented strategies, met 80% coverage goal for flu AND COVID-19.
Resources
- WebEx: RespSafe Introductory Webinar
Initial information on the RespSafe program along with basic participation information. Recorded on Sept. 24, 2024.