Influenza Information for Providers

Overview

For more general information, see our flu page.

Get vaccinated to protect yourself, your family and your patients. Annual vaccination is the most important tool to prevent flu-related deaths.

To get flu updates by email, sign up for email alerts and choose Health Advisories and Disease Alerts.

Testing and treatment

• Testing guidance for clinicians when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses are co-circulating—CDC.
• Rapid influenza diagnostic tests—Can be useful in clinical decision-making but sensitivity is low (50%–70%). Might not detect novel or variant influenza. Negative tests do not rule out influenza. 
• Prescribing antiviral medication.

Surveillance data

• Pierce County.
• Washington—Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
• United States—Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
• King County—Public Health – Seattle & King County.
• Virology—University of Washington.

Healthcare facilities

• Flu Outbreak Guidelines in Long-Term Care and Post-Acute Care Facilities—CDC. 
• Flu outbreak guidelines for congregate care facilities (DOH)—DOH.  

Vaccine

• Flu vaccine information.
• Sample standing orders for child and teen flu immunization.
• Sample standing orders for adult flu immunization.
• Vaccine information statements (available in multiple languages).
• Healthcare worker immunization toolkit.
  • Flu vaccination for healthcare workers.

Resources

• Flu page—CDC.
• Flu info for healthcare professionals—CDC.
• Flu info for public health and healthcare—DOH.

Patient materials

• Flu and COVID-19 infographic, also available in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian, and Simplified Chinese.
• Worried about the flu?
• Social media and print flu resource center—CDC.
• Flu and pregnancy—CDC.
• Children’s immunizations.
• Adult immunizations.