On August 19, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance that recommends actions that non-healthcare employers should take now to decrease the spread of seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu in the workplace and to help maintain business continuity during the 2009–2010 flu season. The guidance in this document may change as additional information about the severity of the 2009-2010 influenza season and the impact of 2009 H1N1 influenza become known. Please check www.flu.gov periodically for updated guidance.
Employers who have developed pandemic plans should review and revise their plans in light of the current 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak to take into account the extent and severity of disease in their community as outlined in this guidance.
The CDC encourages employers with more than one business location “to provide local managers with the authority to take appropriate actions outlined in their business pandemic plan based on the condition in each locality.”
If severity increases, public health officials may recommend a variety of methods for increasing the physical distance between people (called social distancing) to reduce the spread of disease, such as canceling large business-related meetings, spacing workers farther apart in the workplace, canceling non-essential travel, and recommending work-from-home strategies for workers that can conduct their business remotely.
The CDC recommends that workers who have symptoms of influenza-like illness “stay home and not come to work until at least 24 hours after their fever has resolved.” The CDC also says “all employers should plan now to allow and encourage sick workers to stay home without fear of losing their jobs.” Employers should plan now for how they will operate if there is significant absenteeism from sick workers.
The CDC says “Plan now to determine how you will operate if absenteeism spikes from increases in sick workers, those who stay home to care for ill family members, and those who must stay home to watch their children if dismissed from school. Businesses and other employers should prepare to institute flexible workplace and leave policies for these workers.”
The CDC recommends that employers add a “widget” or “button” to the company Web page so employees can access the latest information on influenza: www.cdc.gov/widgets/ and www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Campaigns/H1N1/buttons.html
The CDC also recommends that employers not require a doctor’s note for workers who are ill with influenza-like illness because doctor’s offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and may not be able to provide such documentation in a timely way.
The CDC says employers should consider granting employees time off from work to get vaccinated if vaccines are not offered at the worksite.
September 1, 2009 at 5:17 am |
Vaccines are the most powerful public health tool for control of influenza, and the U.S. government is working closely with manufacturers to take steps in the process to manufacture a 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Working together with scientists in the public and private sector, CDC has isolated the new H1N1 virus and modified the virus so that it can be used to make hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine. Vaccine manufacturers are now using these materials to begin vaccine production. Making vaccine is a multi-step process which takes several months to complete. Candidate vaccines will be tested in clinical trials over the few months.