A. No later than September first of each year and in accordance with the latest recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Louisiana Department of Health shall provide licensed nursing homes with educational information on zoster, also known as shingles. The educational information shall include, at a minimum, the risks associated with shingles and how to protect oneself against the varicella-zoster virus. The licensed nursing homes shall disseminate this information to their residents.

            B. No later than September first of each year and in accordance with the latest recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Louisiana Department of Health shall provide licensed nursing homes with educational information on pneumonia. The educational information shall include, at a minimum, the risks associated with pneumonia and the availability of the pneumococcal immunization. The licensed nursing homes shall disseminate this information to their residents.

            C. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require any licensed nursing home to provide or pay for any immunization against the varicella-zoster virus or pneumonia.

            D. The Louisiana Department of Health shall provide the educational information required by Subsections A and B of this Section through the posting of a link to its website where the information can be downloaded by the licensed nursing homes.

            Acts 2016, No. 155, §1.