Guidance on Swine Flu for Businesses

The World Health Organisation has raised the pandemic threat level of influenza A H1N1 – commonly referred to as swine flu – to level six. This reflects the global spread of the disease, not its severity.

 

As ‘flu season’ has not yet arrived in Europe, there is plenty of time to plan for the impact of swine flu on your business.

The Cabinet Office has issued a checklist for planning regarding pandemic influenza. This identifies important and specific activities which organisations can do to prepare for a pandemic as well as providing information where more general guidance will be provided by the Government.

The guidance, although very much a product of ‘civil servant speak’, should prove to be a useful tool for making any necessary contingency plans.

One important thing to bear in mind is that if you have contractual responsibilities which might be affected should you or your staff be absent through illness or your business is forced to close temporarily, you should check the potential impact and try to renegotiate the terms if prudent.

 

The guidance can be found at