H1N1 Can Affect Your Business or Restaurant

Sep 23, 2009 Refrigeration

Why businesses should plan for a flu response.

Many businesses have already been impacted by the Spring 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak. Steps can be taken now to slow the spread of the flu. It is also possible that flu conditions may become more severe, so it is important to plan now for how to respond under those circumstances.

Why you should be concerned about the spread of the flu in the workplace.

The work place may act as a “point of spread”, where employees can easily spread flu to their fellow employees as well as others in the community. The flu can have a major impact on business operations, causing workers to stay home because they are sick or they have to take care of other sick family members.

For more information and how to plan for H1N1 and the seasonal flu from the CDC review their toolkit.

Source:http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/business/toolkit/pdf/Business_Toolkit.pdf

How to Prepare your Restaurant for a Swine Flu Outbreak

NRA, CDC & Ecolab offer recommended steps for foodservice operators.

WASHINGTON – Responding to the prediction by medical experts of a return of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) this fall, the National Restaurant Association together with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Ecolab are recommending steps that foodservice operators can implement to help control the spread of the virus, Nation’s Restaurant News reports.

Among the recommendations:

Base all prevention and response strategies on information from state and local health officials, and communicate your plans to employees.

Encourage your employees to be vaccinated against the flu.

Keep workers exhibiting flu-like systems to remain homebound for at least 24 hours after the fever has passed. Expect workers in such situations to be out for three to five days, and implement sick policies that are flexible, not punitive.

Remind employees to cover their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze. Provide tissues for both employees and customers.

Advise employees to wash their hands regularly.

Cross-train personnel in critical areas in the event that key employees are sick.

Increase cleaning and disinfection frequencies.

Source: http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/Daily/Pages/ND0915093.aspx

Government Urges Flu Preparations for Small Businesses

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security wants small companies to come up with a plan for when employees are out sick with swine or seasonal flu.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security wants small businesses to be prepared for the H1N1 flu, The Washington Post reports. On Monday, the agency urged small companies to develop contingency plans for when employees are out sick with H1N1.

Half of the country’s private-sector workers are employed at small businesses, and the federal government strongly recommends those companies have plans in place to keep the economy going.

“We are already seeing an uptick in cases across the country,” said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. “We expect that to continue throughout the fall and winter.”

Already, the government has issued guidelines for school campuses, asking that they stay open and allow sick students to do their work from home. But some small business owners have not devised a flu plan yet and are not convinced one would help their business.

“I think you’ll see a lot of business owners stretched to the max,” said Molly Brogan, spokeswoman for the National Small Business Association. “You’ll see stores shut down a day or two. In this economy, you can’t afford that. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of other options.”

The agency wants small businesses to think about a worst-case scenario, with many of their employees out of the office at a time. Officials estimate people sick with the flu will be out for three to five days. Visit www.sba.gov/flu for a complete list of the government’s guidelines.