H1N1 – Are you prepared for the flu?
By Kristen L Phiel, MS
Wondering what is up with the guy in the next cube? Does he just has a tickle in his throat or something nastier? Is that sweat on his brow from that upcoming deadline or does he really have a fever? Is that allergies or a runny nose?
Think ‘swine flu’ will affect you only when pigs fly? Well the 2009 H1N1 flu is here. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that the 2009 H1N1 flu may affect 3 out of 10 people. Are you prepared? Is your office prepared?
What is the H1N1 flu?
Originally referred to as swine flu because it is made up of genes similar to those of influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs, this new influenza virus contains genes typically found in influenza infecting pigs from Europe and Asia as well as avain (bird) and human influenza genes. This new “quadruple reassortant” virus was first detected in the US in April of 2009 and is now a worldwide pandemic, spreading from human to human similar to seasonal flu.
Signs and Symptoms
Illness from the 2009 H1N1 has ranged from mild to severe. Typical symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Many people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting.
Most people who become ill with from the virus recover without requiring medical treatment. But severe illness, hospitalization, and death have occurred.
How to protect yourself
While 2009 H1N1 vaccine is in production; there is no vaccine available right now. These simple steps can help protect you and your coworkers:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. Throw the tissue in the trash.
- Wash your hands often with soap and hot water, or try an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Avoid close contact with sick people if possible.
- If you are sick with a flu-like illness, STAY HOME for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. People infected with seasonal or 2009 H1N1 flu virus may be able to infect others from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after.
Ok, what happens when 1/3 of the office is out sick with the flu?
Preplanning at the office can help to prevent a major disruption by the 2009 H1N1 flu:
- Encourage healthful habits in the workplace. Keep tissues, hand-cleaners, etc. available to employees.
- Encourage employees to get a flu shot. Seasonal flu shots are available now.
- Subsidize the cost of the flu shot for all employees.
- Put a widget on the company website with flu updates. See www.cdc.gov/widgets
- Send employees home if they get sick at work. The CDC recommends that people stay home at least 24 hours after their fever is gone. But be prepared. Most people who contract the flu are sick for at least 5 days.
- Encourage employees to take several days off to recover from their illness.
- Create a flexible work schedule so that employees can work from home while taking care of sick family members or when they are sick themselves.
- Have a back up plan for absentee workers. A call center, temp agency, or freelance pool may be able to keep things running smoothly.
- Clean potentially contaminated work surfaces, such as desks, phones, or computers. While the 2009 H1N1 flu is most easily spread from person to person by droplets from a sneeze or cough, the virus has been shown to survive on infected surfaces for 2-8 hours and can infect people.
To find out more and to access the latest information about the 2009 H1N1 flu, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
For 2009 H1N1 information for central Ohio, please visit www.columbuspandemicflu.com, hosted jointly by the Columbus and Franklin County Health Departments. Additional links for each health department are: www.publichealth.columbus.gov and http://www.co.franklin.oh.us/board_of_health/.
