Organisations need contingency plans for swine flu outbreak

The chance of a widespread swine flu outbreak across the UK is still with us. The Health Protection Agency recently reported 110,000 new cases in one week alone. It would seem inevitable that sickness absences are going to spiral. Seasonal flu often makes sufferers unable to work for a week or more, and in the case of swine flu this period is likely to be longer. Even those mildly affected are being advised to stay at home to reduce the infection risk to colleagues. There are also likely to be employees staying away from work to care for sick family members.