U.S. officials provide guidance for businesses, employers to deal with swine flu season

 WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (KUNA) -- Federal officials on Wednesday unveiled guidance to help U.S. businesses and employers prepare for what many experts believe will be an active flu season.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke held a joint press conference with U.
S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
"As all of you know, H1N1 (swine flu) is more than just a significant health issue," Locke said. "It has the potential to affect virtually every aspect of our lives, from our economy to national security to our educational system. As such, it will take Americans from every walk of life, all of us, pulling together and doing our part to mount an effective response." Locke urged U.S. businesses to let their employees know that if the employees exhibit flu-like symptoms, they should not come to work, and if an employee shows symptoms during the workday, the employee should be asked to go home. "Second, employers will be able to develop smarter health policies for their employees by staying in touch with their local health departments and aligning their guidelines accordingly," he said.
Even if precautions are taken, some employees will likely get sick, and parents may have to stay home with a sick child or even healthy children if a particular school is closed down, Locke said.
Companies need to plan for continuity of operations with a depleted work force, he said.
"Plans should be put in place now to allow for teleworking and staggered shifts," Locke said. "Employees should be cross-trained to cover essential functions." If the flu outbreak becomes severe, companies may need to take steps to reduce face-to-face meetings or curtail nonessential travel to reduce the possibility of H1N1 flu transmission, he added.
Sebelius said businesses should encourage their employees to get their flu shots early as a good first step, especially the target populations of pregnant women; adults under 65 who have an underlying health condition such as asthma or any kind of respiratory distress; and children six months old, as well as young adults up to age 24.
The swine flu is going to "re-energize" with the beginning of the school year, "and that means, from a business perspective, that planning is essential, " Napolitano said. (end) rm.ajs KUNA 191939 Aug 09NNNN