While healthcare providers continue to work through the widespread flu outbreak affecting most of the country, the American College of Physicians reaffirmed its support of mandatory immunizations for a variety of viruses.

Like many mandatory policies adopted by healthcare providers across the country, the ACP's recommendations exempt staff with valid medical reasons or religious objections. The ACP suggests immunizations for influenza, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough and chicken pox. That matches the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Adult Immunization Schedule. The ACP estimates that 40,000 to 50,000 die annually in the U.S. from vaccine-preventable diseases.

“These transmissible infectious diseases represent a threat to healthcare providers and the patients we serve, who are often highly vulnerable to infection,” ACP President Dr. David Bronson said in a news release. “Proper immunization safely and effectively prevents a significant number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths among patients as well as preventing workplace disruption and medical errors by absent workers due to illness.”

The flu vaccine was 62% effective, according to an estimation by the Centers for Disease and Prevention Control.