Swine flu and human flu : Every establishment should have a swine flu control plan

Sunday 23rd August 2009 HCFI:  New business mantra: telecommuting, flexible work hours and keeping employees 6 feet apart to reduce the spread and impact of H1N1 swine flu said Dr KK Aggarwal President, Heart Care Foundation of India, BSNL Dil Ka Darbar, MTNL Perfect Health Mela and Director, IMA AKN Sinha Institute while conducting a workshop at Moolchand Hospital for doctors.
 
Employers need to remain flexible as the winter flu season approaches, because the extent and severity of the outbreak remains uncertain.

More communities may be affected by both the H1N1 swine flu and the seasonal flu in coming months than last spring, and every establishment needs to have a swine flu action plan in place. Every employees should know that if employees exhibit flu-like symptoms, they shouldn't come to work. If an employee shows symptoms during the workday, the employee be asked to go home.
Some of the key points for employers:
•    One should encourage good flu-preventive hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, routine cleaning of commonly touched surfaces and "coughing etiquette," such as covering a cough or sneeze with tissue or a sleeve.
•    All employees should get a flu shot once available, especially higher-risk individuals, such as pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions.
•    If workers do get sick, one should separate them other employees while they await transport home and encourage them to stay away from work for 24 hours after fever has ended.
•    One should not penalize workers or discourage them from taking sick days.
•    One should consider creative ways to avoid person-to-person contact if the situation warrants it. This might include telecommuting from home, staggering shifts and spreading essential business knowledge among workers to ensure smooth workflow if a key employee becomes ill.