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Preparing for Flu: A Worksite Wellness Priority
Provided by the Cambridge Public Health Department

When it comes to the flu, businesses play an important role in protecting the health and safety of their employees, as well as slowing the spread of flu in the community.

Every year, about 200,000 Americans are hospitalized with the flu and 36,000 die from flu-related complications. This fall and winter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects that an even greater number of people will be sickened by the flu since regular flu season will coincide with ongoing outbreaks of novel H1N1 (swine) flu.

Creating a Flu Preparedness Plan
Given the emergence of pandemic flu this past spring, all Cambridge businesses should develop a flu preparedness plan. This plan should include strategies for reducing exposure to flu in the workplace, maintaining essential business functions if significant numbers of employees are home sick, and developing flexible sick leave policies.

Preventing Flu in the Workplace
By promoting these four flu prevention strategies, businesses can help healthy workers stay well and protect employees who are at higher risk for serious complications from the flu.
1) Get vaccinated. Businesses should encourage employees to get both a seasonal flu vaccine this fall and the H1N1 flu vaccine, when it becomes available. The Cambridge Public Health Department is offering free seasonal flu shots this fall at multiple sites throughout the city. For a flu clinic calendar, visit www.cambridgepublichealth.org/services/
diseases-conditions/flu.
2) Cover coughs and sneezes. Businesses should hang posters that encourage cough and sneeze etiquette.
3) Wash hands. Frequent handwashing with soap and water is one of the most effective measures people can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
4) Keep sick workers home. Employees with symptoms of flu-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100.4º or greater) without taking any fever-reducing medications.

Businesses should also inform employees that some co-workers (e.g., pregnant women, people with asthma, diabetes, or other chronic illnesses) may be at higher risk for serious complications from the flu. Employees who may be at risk should contact their health care provider immediately if they develop flu symptoms. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and death.

To learn more about who could become seriously ill from either seasonal flu or novel H1N1 flu, visit www.cambridgepublichealth.org/H1N1flu.

Flexible Sick Leave Policies
Employees who get the flu may be out sick for three to five days, even if antiviral medicines are used. Managers can support all employees when absenteeism from pandemic flu is affecting the workplace by:
• Developing flexible sick leave policies that allow workers to stay home if they are ill or caring for a sick family member, without fear of repercussion, including losing their job.
• Not requiring a doctor’s note for workers who are ill with flu-like illness to validate their illness or to return to work. Doctor’s offices and hospitals may be extremely busy and unable to provide this documentation in a timely manner.

For more information, please visit the Cambridge Public Health Department at www.cambridgepublichealth.org and/or the U.S. Flu Preparedness Website for Businesses at www.flu.gov/professional/business.
Download posters and brochures at:
www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/covercough.htm
www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dph/cdc/handwashing/brochure.pdf


Networking Breakfast 2009 Series
Tuesday, November 17, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Holiday Inn Boston-Somerville
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Health Plan
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