Greetings! As you know, we are moving into flu season. To help inform people in our community about seasonal flu and H1N1, the health departments of the City of Columbus and Franklin County are working together to provide information on how to stay healthy and how to minimize exposure this flu season. They have asked the Columbus Chamber to be a communication conduit to the business community.
It’s a good idea to encourage your employees to practice good hygiene and good sense to keep the people around them healthy. Children and pregnant women need to take extra precautions. Here are some basics FOR INDIVIDUALS:
As a business owner, you are encouraged to plan for the worst and hope for the best…in the event that one or more of your employees is forced to work remotely. Here are some basics FOR EMPLOYERS:
Here are some resources for you to help your business prepare and to help your employees stay healthy and minimize exposure:
In continued good health!
It’s a good idea to encourage your employees to practice good hygiene and good sense to keep the people around them healthy. Children and pregnant women need to take extra precautions. Here are some basics FOR INDIVIDUALS:
- Get vaccinated with both seasonal flu (immediately) and H1N1 (when available); I got my seasonal last night at CVS’s minute clinic
- Wash hands REGULARLY and THOROUGHLY; keep antibacterial liquid close at hand
- Avoid shaking hands and exchanging kisses; fist bumps and elbow knocks are popular substitutes
- Exhibit “cough etiquette” (coughing/sneezing into one’s sleeve, rather than using hands to cover one’s mouth)
As a business owner, you are encouraged to plan for the worst and hope for the best…in the event that one or more of your employees is forced to work remotely. Here are some basics FOR EMPLOYERS:
- Put a plan in place now that will allow your business to continue operations, with as little disruption as possible, if one or more of your employees is impacted (this includes things like cross-training employees, instituting emergency notifications numbers, etc.)
- Encourage workers who have flu-like symptoms (especially fever) to stay home and not come to work until at least 24 hours after their fever has resolved. CHILDREN WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS (INCLUDING FEVER) SHOULD BE KEPT HOME AND NOT RETURNED TO SCHOOL/DAYCARE FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS AFTER THE FEVER HAS SUBSIDED. (Again, put procedures in place to allow employees to continue working even in they are hope with a sick child.)
- Locate hand sanitizer throughout your workplace as well as tissues, no-touch trash cans, hand soap, etc. Disinfectant and disposable towels should be available for workers to clean their work surfaces.
Here are some resources for you to help your business prepare and to help your employees stay healthy and minimize exposure:
- Recent story from WOSU titled, “Central Ohio Business Organizations Brace For Tough Flu Season”.
- Link directly to information about seasonal and pandemic flu specific to Columbus and Franklin County: http://www.columbuspandemicflu.org/index.html.
- Link to the Center for Disease Control’s website, which is where you can sign up for email and text alerts about seasonal and H1N1 from a national perspctive: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/
In continued good health!
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