To the Editor—We would like to discuss the article “Parental Perceptions about Required Influenza Immunization.”Reference Linam, Gilliam, Honeycutt, Wisdom, Swearingen and Romero1 Linam et al. noted that “independent of their feelings regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, 76% of parents felt that annual influenza vaccination should be required for HCP [healthcare professionals].”Reference Linam, Gilliam, Honeycutt, Wisdom, Swearingen and Romero1 In fact, parents of pediatric patients usually require the best thing, best safety service, for their children. A vaccinated HCP is perceived to be a safe person to provide health care to the children with low risk for influenza transmission. In addition, the relationship between the status of “vaccinated or intending to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza” of an HCP is also directly related to the status of “recommending universal pediatric seasonal influenza vaccine.”Reference Grossman, Berkovitch, Braunstein, Cohen and Mirons2 This means if the HCP is vaccinated, it is likely that he or she will educate the parent and patient and recommend that they get the vaccine. Nevertheless, there is a previous report indicating highly educated parents have a trend of negative attitude towards vaccination.Reference Hak, Schönbeck, De Melker, Van Essen and Sanders3 An interesting question is whether the education of the parents affects the perception on this specific issue or not.
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