Neil Kurtz, M.D.
President and CEO
Golden Living
As senior officers of Golden Living -- and also as physicians --
we are urging all Golden Living employees who provide direct care
to patients to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu.
We believe it is so important for the safety and well-being of
our patients, employees and their families that we have implemented
a company policy requiring H1N1 vaccinations for all direct
caregivers.
The reason we are taking these steps is because healthcare
workers are considered to be one of the high-risk groups for H1N1.
Individuals who have chronic health disorders -- such as our
patients -- also are considered a high-risk group, making it doubly
important for people who come in contact with them to be
vaccinated.
And don't forget, the H1N1 vaccine is different than the
seasonal flu vaccine -- you need to have both. If you haven't
already received a seasonal flu shot, we recommend that you arrange
to get one today.
If you have general questions about the flu, please visit our
Flu Center. You also may
access information about the H1N1 vaccine on the Centers for
Disease Control Web site at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.