minimize the spread of disease among warrant the phase-based interventions Breathing space
A space to breathe
employees while maintaining business many companies had put in place but it Most experts believe that governments
continuity. Professor Oxford points out was the right thing to do at that point and organizations now have some
that most organizations based their plans in time. breathing space to make any necessary
on the six pandemic phases defined by adjustments to their plans. Back in May
the WHO. These phases act as trigger Specific requirements the WHO Director General, Margaret
points for specific interventions such as What also became clear was the Chan, said, “The virus may have given
door-screening, home-working, travel variation in different companies’ us a grace period, but we do not know
restrictions, masks and quarantine – approach to risk. “If a company had a how long this will last. No one can say
which are very useful but can be costly very high level of risk aversion, we’d whether this is just the calm before
as well as disruptive. help them implement door-screening, for the storm”.
example”, says Piroska. “And in less
However, as Dr. Doug Quarry, risk-averse cultures, there’d be fewer Professor Oxford points to the advance
International SOS’ Medical Director interventions.” of the Spanish Flu in 1918, the deadliest
explains, “the measures you introduce to pandemic of the 20th century. Killing
mitigate the impact of the disease must
“Our clients need definitive
over 50 million people globally, this was
be balanced against the effect of those
guidance based on authoritative
also caused by an H1N1 strain. It struck
measures on your operations.” One of in waves, with the first mild wave hitting
the most common complaints from
epidemiological knowledge”
in the March and April of 1918 and the
pandemic planners was that the six second highly lethal wave coming the
phases didn’t measure the severity or What’s more, as was discussed at the following September.
impact of H1N1. conference back in June, a mild to
moderate virus may have a serious Body of knowledge
“When your focus is on business impact on developing countries and Many companies are now modifying
continuity, the relative contagiousness overwhelm their healthcare systems. “It’s their plans in time for any second wave.
and severity of the virus are just as not enough to just have a global plan”, “We’ve developed a body of knowledge
important as mortality rates”, explains says Professor Oxford. “Specific through our experience so far”, says Dr.
Professor Oxford. In other words, the requirements of each country – and each Quarry. “For example we’ve re-drafted
relatively low impact of H1N1 didn’t site – need to be considered.” plans to take account of trigger points at
the local rather than national level.
We’ve also modified templates for
moderate and severe scenarios, and are
now developing plans for avian and
swine flu in tandem.”
To date International SOS has carried
out over 290 pandemic consulting
engagements starting with gap analysis
and plan development, through to plan
HotlIne - Issue 2 9
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