Loyola Mandates Flu Shots for Employees

Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois has adopted a new policy requiring its employees and students to get vaccinations for seasonal flu.

Under the policy announced Wednesday, vaccination will be a condition of employment. Workers can decline if they have allergies to flu vaccines or on religious grounds, but they must provide proof.

The shots are available now, free to Loyola employees and students.

Loyola joins a handful of hospitals nationwide with mandatory policies to help protect workers and patients from the flu.

Its policy doesn't apply to the new vaccine for the H1NI swine flu virus. Front-line health workers at Loyola will be encouraged to get those shots, too, when they become available next month. But a spokesman says Loyola isn't making those vaccinations mandatory because of expected tight supplies.