MONROE - Businesses and employers should plan now to determine how they will handle a potential outbreak of swine flu, according to www.flu.gov, an informational Web site of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Businesses operating in areas that haven't been hard hit by the pandemic flu virus also should develop plans, as the potential spread of flu cases can't be predicted, the Centers for Disease Control said in a recent report.
"CDC anticipates that more communities may be affected than were in spring/summer 2009, and/or more severely affected, reflecting wider transmission and possibly greater impact," the report said. "In addition, seasonal influenza viruses may cause illness at the same time as 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) this fall and winter."
Flu.gov recommends a three-pronged approach to helping curtail the spread of swine flu in the workplace:
• Work with local health departments.
Flu.gov urges workplaces to collaborate with state and local health officials to receive timely and accurate information about the spread of influenza. They also can work with health departments to encourage workers to get flu vaccines and even provide greater access to the vaccines, such as on-site vaccination clinics.
• Keep sick workers home
"One of the best way to reduce the spread of influenza is to keep sick people away from well people," flu.gov said. It can be difficult to immediately determine if ill workers have H1N1, seasonal influenza or a different condition. Officials recommend all workers who have influenza-like symptoms stay at home and not come to work until 24 hours after their fever is gone, without the use of fever-reducing agents. "Employers should plan now for how they will operate if there is significant absenteeism from sick workers," flu.gov said, and recommends businesses cross-train employees to handle essential duties. "However, employers should know that some persons with influenza, including those ill with 2009 H1N1, do not have fever. Therefore it will not be possible to exclude everyone who is ill with influenza from the workplace."
The site also advises businesses "not require a doctor's note for workers who are ill with influenza-like illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as doctor's offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and may not be able to provide such documentation in a timely way."
• Be prepared if schools dismiss students or child care programs close
Employers also should be aware that schools and childcare programs may be forced to close to prevent widespread transmission of H1N1 and should plan how to conduct business if workers need to stay at home to care for family members. "Businesses and other employers should prepare to institute flexible workplace and leave policies for these workers," flu.gov recommends.
Other things employees can do:
• Cover coughs and sneezes: Encourage employees to cover all coughs and sneezes. Businesses can provide tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for use by employees.
• Emphasize hand hygiene: Encourage employees to wash hands often with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand cleaner, especially after coughing or sneezing. Place hand sanitizers in multiple locations in the workplace to encourage hand hygiene.
• Clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact: Businesses can be diligent about disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces, such as workstations, doorknobs and countertops.
• Promptly send home workers who become ill during the day or exhibit flu-like symptoms.
More information about preventing the spread of H1N1 in the workplace, schools, child care facilities, the home and the general community is available at pandemic.wisconsin.gov or flu.gov.
Businesses operating in areas that haven't been hard hit by the pandemic flu virus also should develop plans, as the potential spread of flu cases can't be predicted, the Centers for Disease Control said in a recent report.
"CDC anticipates that more communities may be affected than were in spring/summer 2009, and/or more severely affected, reflecting wider transmission and possibly greater impact," the report said. "In addition, seasonal influenza viruses may cause illness at the same time as 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) this fall and winter."
Flu.gov recommends a three-pronged approach to helping curtail the spread of swine flu in the workplace:
• Work with local health departments.
Flu.gov urges workplaces to collaborate with state and local health officials to receive timely and accurate information about the spread of influenza. They also can work with health departments to encourage workers to get flu vaccines and even provide greater access to the vaccines, such as on-site vaccination clinics.
• Keep sick workers home
"One of the best way to reduce the spread of influenza is to keep sick people away from well people," flu.gov said. It can be difficult to immediately determine if ill workers have H1N1, seasonal influenza or a different condition. Officials recommend all workers who have influenza-like symptoms stay at home and not come to work until 24 hours after their fever is gone, without the use of fever-reducing agents. "Employers should plan now for how they will operate if there is significant absenteeism from sick workers," flu.gov said, and recommends businesses cross-train employees to handle essential duties. "However, employers should know that some persons with influenza, including those ill with 2009 H1N1, do not have fever. Therefore it will not be possible to exclude everyone who is ill with influenza from the workplace."
The site also advises businesses "not require a doctor's note for workers who are ill with influenza-like illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as doctor's offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and may not be able to provide such documentation in a timely way."
• Be prepared if schools dismiss students or child care programs close
Employers also should be aware that schools and childcare programs may be forced to close to prevent widespread transmission of H1N1 and should plan how to conduct business if workers need to stay at home to care for family members. "Businesses and other employers should prepare to institute flexible workplace and leave policies for these workers," flu.gov recommends.
Other things employees can do:
• Cover coughs and sneezes: Encourage employees to cover all coughs and sneezes. Businesses can provide tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for use by employees.
• Emphasize hand hygiene: Encourage employees to wash hands often with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand cleaner, especially after coughing or sneezing. Place hand sanitizers in multiple locations in the workplace to encourage hand hygiene.
• Clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact: Businesses can be diligent about disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces, such as workstations, doorknobs and countertops.
• Promptly send home workers who become ill during the day or exhibit flu-like symptoms.
More information about preventing the spread of H1N1 in the workplace, schools, child care facilities, the home and the general community is available at pandemic.wisconsin.gov or flu.gov.