Preparedness

Environmental health

Child care

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Immunology

Pediatrics

Vaccination

Political science

Population

Family medicine

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Internal medicine

Influenza vaccine

Medicine

Pandemic

Live attenuated influenza vaccine

Disease

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Background Influenza vaccine is the most effective means to prevent influenza for the high-risk population of child care attendees. This national survey assessed child care center directors’ reports of seasonal influenza vaccine requirements for children and adult caregivers. Methods This was a 2016 telephone-based survey of child care center directors randomly selected from a national database of licensed United States child care centers and queried about influenza vaccine requirements. Conceptually related items were grouped into 4 indexes: general infection control, use of health consultants, quality of child care, and pandemic influenza preparedness. These indexes, along with other center and director characteristics, were used to predict director-reported influenza vaccine requirements. Results Of 518 child care center directors, only 24.5% and 13.1% reported an influenza vaccine requirement for children and adult caregivers, respectively. Center and director characteristics and the indexes were not associated with a director-reported influenza vaccine requirement. After adjusting for covariates, only having a state influenza vaccine law for children and an adult influenza vaccine requirement predicted having a child influenza vaccine requirement. Only having a child influenza vaccine requirement predicted having an adult vaccine requirement. Conclusions Director-reported influenza vaccine requirements for children and adult caregivers were influenced primarily by state influenza vaccine laws. Given the high risk of children in child care and low director-reported influenza vaccine requirements, more states should pass laws requiring influenza vaccine for children and adult caregivers at child care programs.

Influenza Vaccine Requirements in United States Child Care Centers