The Hepatitis B vaccination of health professionals is required to perform their work.

• About 95 percent of the health care of our environment is vaccinated against Hepatitis B.

• Failure of the immunization schedule for this group of legal and industrial implications

• Working in a sensitive habitat, the risk of occupational health is above average and the consequences of transmission of Hepatitis A and B are most relevant.

• The philosophy behind this concept is to protect oneself and others by vaccination.

• Ignorance of the working calendar of the immigrant population increases the risks of contagion and sobrevacunación.

• The scientific community is working on a protocol for action in the event of an influenza pandemic.

• The policy approach of Public Health means that, thanks to the immunization schedule for children, young people entering the labor market are better protected than the older population.


Health professionals should be vaccinated for the performance of their work. The rotundity of the sentence, the core of the conference organized by the Center for Immunization in the workplace (OVAL) today, Thursday, February 5, 2009, from 11:00 in the Company Bilbaina is based on a goals: minimizing the risk to others. As John says Goiri, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Bilbao and coordinator of the observatory, "Vaccination is a medical fitness test, especially as a means of preventing infection, both to themselves and colleagues to patients.

OVAL coordinator understands that "health professionals, and other labor groups at risk, must exercise extreme vigilance when it comes to health care. Not surprisingly, working in an environment where the risk is above average and the consequences of transmission of hepatitis B are more relevant. Andalusia handled in many cases, people with immune deficiencies are more serious sequelae.

The conference organized by the vaccinations OVAL seen as a test of capacity to work, both from a legal perspective and from the standpoint of occupational medicine. The judge of the administrative division of the Tribunal Superior de Justicia del País Vasco, Luis Garrido, explain what are the legal requirements for the performance of the health profession, with special emphasis on the criterion of medical and fitness of the worker to his job, along with preventive measures that work proceed in its case. " He recalled what the legal consequences are brought about by a breach of infection immunization schedule.

The president of the National Commission of Occupational Medicine, Mary Castilian, also recommended "an appropriate vaccination reduces rates of infection and the risk to others. Health professionals face a greater responsibility than other professionals and have to monitor this issue as a clear measure of job protection. " Both voices have been moderated by Dr. Juan José Díaz Franco.

It is, however, has already warned that a deep draft. Juan Goiri that "about 95 percent of the health care of our environment is vaccinated against Hepatitis B. The philosophy behind this concept is to protect oneself and others by vaccination. "To this we must add another fact that underscores the president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Bilbao. "The policy approach of Public Health means that, thanks to the immunization schedule for children, young people entering the labor market are better protected than the older population."

Also, the time of updating the knowledge organized by the OVAL has reviewed the three most common types of vaccines in adults: influenza vaccine, tetanus vaccine and vaccines against hepatitis B. The head of vaccines and monitoring of management of Public Health of the Basque government, José María Arteagoitia has reviewed the current status of vaccine, and future prospects. This field is particularly important with the analysis of a virtual scene: how to act in the event of an influenza pandemic? The expert says that "has established a protocol on who to vaccinate first vaccination and what criteria should be followed."

In the field of tetanus vaccine, José Antonio Navarro-Alonso, a member of the European Commission on Prevention, revised criteria such as the risk of hipervacunación-economic carries a surcharge, the more discomfort and possible side-effects and lack of timing vaccine followed by the immigrant population. Following these reflections, Juan Goiri advocates the creation of a universal vaccination record, which reduces the margin of error. "

In any of the aforementioned types of vaccines, their administration is voluntary within the healthcare workplace. Unlike in the case of the vaccine for Hepatitis B. Luis Urbiztondo, section chief of infectious disease prevention for the general direction of Public Health of Catalonia, increased the possibility of reducing the number of doses required for a proper prophylaxis. Scientific research towards a vaccine for life ", a concept that, in the words of John Goiri," would significantly advance the health workforce of health professionals.