Dear UCSF Community, 

As influenza season approaches, I want to encourage everyone to get the flu vaccine to protect ourselves as well as our families, colleagues, patients and communities from illness. This year, in alignment with University of California policy and the start of respiratory virus season, flu vaccinations are due by Friday, November 1, 2024.

Faculty and staff can get this year’s flu vaccine at:

• Flu clinic locations, which run from Wednesday, September 4 through Wednesday, October 23.
• Occupational Health Services (OHS) locations beginning Tuesday, October 1, or
• Your primary care provider’s office or local pharmacies, such as CVS, Walgreens and Safeway, which cover the vaccines through your primary care insurance

Additional options are available to postdoctoral scholars, trainees and University of California employees.

Starting Wednesday, September 4, you can provide attestation of your flu vaccination through the Digital Screener or complete a declination either through the Digital Screener or OHS Portal (VPN required). UCSF and BCH Oakland employees can also upload documentation of vaccination via the OHS Portal, or by emailing [email protected] or [email protected], respectively.

County public health authorities require a flu vaccine for those who work in a health care facility, including faculty, staff, learners and volunteers at the University, who work at UCSF Health, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and UCSF Fresno. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends an annual flu vaccination for everyone six months and older, with rare exceptions. The vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent illness and its potentially serious complications.

We expect to receive updated COVID-19 vaccines later this fall. We will share more information about these vaccines and their documentation when available.

More information about the flu and COVID-19 vaccines as well as respiratory viral season will be shared at the UCSF Town Hall on Friday, September 6 at 4 p.m.

Thank you for doing your part to prevent the spread of respiratory illness by getting vaccinated. Your dedication to protecting our patients, colleagues and the communities we serve exemplifies our mission and values.

Sincerely,

Josh Adler, MD
Chief Clinical Officer
UCSF Health