Acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker declared influenza prevalent in New York State Dec. 11. That means -- because of new regulations -- health care workers who are not vaccinated must now wear masks in areas where patients are typically present. "By requiring those who are not vaccinated to wear masks while around patients, we’re doing all we can to protect the most vulnerable, like the sick and the elderly,” Zucker said in a press release. The regulation, passed last year, was amended effective November 19, 2014 in response to feedback from affected health care entities. The amendments clarify definitions, bring documentation requirements in line with those for other vaccines, simplify data collection, and allow for removal of masks when health care workers are accompanying patients in the community, providing speech therapy services, or communicating with persons who lip read. The Dept. of Health recommends that everyone six months of age or older receive a flu vaccination. Healthy children between the ages of two and eight are recommended to receive the nasal spray flu vaccine. If the nasal spray vaccine is not available, the flu shot can be given instead. Those under six months cannot get a flu vaccination. For additional information about influenza, including how it is monitored in New York State, visit the Department of Health web page at: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/seasonal/.