Preparing for Pandemic Flu:It’s Not Business as Usual

Public Health – Your County Name

1918 Spanish Pandemic Flu

• Overview

• Why are we talking about Pandemic Influenza with Business?

• Potential impacts of Pandemic Influenza

• How we hope to engage you, our community businesses

• Key elements from a business perspective:

+ Business Continuity

+ Human Resource Management

+ Communication

• Next Steps & Resources

Agenda

• _________ population

• _________ commuters daily

• Your County Name

+ Key factors about your county

Your County Name

Pandemic Influenza & Avian Influenza:Engaging Business

• Impacts will last for weeks to months

• Historically there have been two waves of illness

• Pandemics can disproportionately affect younger people – i.e., the workforce

• Potential for high levels of:+ Sickness and death

+ Disruption of critical services, both government and private

+ Economic loss

Why Are We Talking About PandemicInfluenza with Business?

Impact of Pandemic Influenza Today

• Up to 200 million people infected

• 40 – 90 million people clinically ill

• 18 – 42 million outpatient medical visits

• 314,000 – 733,000 people hospitalized

• 89,000 – 207,000 deaths

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Potential Impact of Pandemic influenza in the U.S.

• US losses estimated at $71 - $166 billion

• Many geographic areas affected at the same time

Potential Impact of Pandemic influenza in the U.S.

• ________ clinically ill

• ________ outpatient medical visits

• ________ people hospitalized

• Up to ______ dead

Potential Impact of Pandemic Influenza in Your County

Pandemic Influenza Planning

1918 Spanish Pandemic Flu

• Engage businesses in planning and preparing for a public health emergency, using pandemic flu as a paradigm

• Identify resources and best practices

• Reach vulnerable populations

• Minimize economic losses

• Establish ongoing communication and coordination

Business Engagement Planning Objectives

• Onsite briefings

• Regular mailings/updates

• Technical assistance

Ongoing Engagement

• Essential services are maintained

• Essential services are provided by both the public and private sector

• Economic disruption is minimized

• Low income and other vulnerable populations remain employed

Key Elements of Preparedness – From a Public Health Perspective

Business Continuity Planning

1. Prioritize critical functions

2. Identify functions that could be suspended for up to two months

3. Identify positions needed to carry out critical functions

4. Build depth through cross training

5. Plan for alternative work schedules

6. Explore telecommuting capabilities – large scale

Key Elements of Preparedness – From a Business Perspective

1. Maintain a healthy work environment

2. Update sick leave and FMLA policies

3. Encourage/require ill employees stay home

4. Protect employees health

Key Elements of Preparedness – Human Resource Management

1. Tell the workforce about the threat of a pandemic – and the steps the company is taking to prepare

2. Establish ongoing communication with employees – before, during and after an event

3. Establish mechanisms to communicate directly with customers

4. Schedule risk communication training

Key Elements of Preparedness – Communication

• A business engagement template

• Resources identified and developed

• Ready-made presentations, correspondence, handouts, etc.

Resources from your local public health department

• Identify internal and external stakeholders for a business engagement process

• Utilize plans, correspondence, presentations, resources, and partnership of local public health to move your business planning along.

Next Steps

• Minnesota Department of Health: http://www.health.state.mn.us

• Cover Your Cough: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/dtopics/infectioncontrol/cover/poster.html

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic/

• Vaccine development process, visit the National Institutes of Health: http://www.niaid.nih.gov

• World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/en/

Resources