SASKATOON - The organization representing Canada's doctors is urging physicians to roll up their own sleeves for a flu shot.
The Canadian Medical Association has passed a resolution encouraging all physicians and other health-care providers to be immunized for influenza annually.
Rhonda Church, a Nova Scotia doctor who tabled the motion Tuesday at the association's annual meeting, said a number of studies have shown that health-care workers are among those with the lowest influenza vaccination rates. She suggested that needs to change in the wake of a predicted swine flu pandemic.
"This issue is particularly important as Canadians continue to become ill with the virus and we face the possibility that the virus may strengthen in the coming months," said Church.
"Health-care workers are of course at increased risk of contracting influenza because of the nature of their work and may pass the virus onto frail or otherwise vulnerable patients under their care even before they're ill."
Church said health workers who provide direct patient care should "consider it their responsibility to obtain influenza vaccination."
Association president Dr. Robert Ouellet told reporters later that doctors can't be forced to get vaccinated.
"Well, doctors are doctors," said Ouellet. "The CMA said we don't want it to be compulsory because some doctors, believe it or not, they don't want to have that and we respect that. Some doctors don't want to have the vaccine - that's their choice."
Ouellet acknowledged that the issue is important and said the association is pushing everyone who works with patients to get vaccinated.
"We will tell our fellow doctors to do that, but if they don't want to do it what can we do?" said Ouellet.
The comments come after Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told doctors in a speech Monday that they need to stand together with the federal government to face a possible H1N1 flu resurgence this fall. She said Ottawa is working with drug maker GlaxoSmithKline to develop a vaccine and one is on track to be ready by November.
Doctors said Aglukkaq's speech lacked details on a flu vaccine plan, including information about who should get the vaccine first.
