Contacts between health care workers and patients in a short-stay geriatric unit during the peak of a seasonal influenza epidemic compared with a nonepidemic period

•Patterns of contacts between HCW and patients during seasonal epidemic are unknown.•Contacts were recorded by RFID devices in a short-stay geriatric unit.•More contacts occurred outside influenza epidemic between nurses and patients.•15% of nurses accounted for 44% of the number of contacts with patients.•Differences in contacts patterns might influence the risk of nosocomial influenza.