Pandemic Flu Panel Seeks to Prepare Businesses
Pandemic flu will be a key panel discussion at NSC 2008 on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 10 a.m. Matt Conlon with Cantel Medical will be leading the discussion titled "Pandemic Planning - How to Survive a Pandemic Emergency."
At the presentation, Conlon will be joined by Lisa Koonin, Chief Private and Public Partners Branch, CDC, and Glen Mudd, manager of loss control service, Louisville Water Co. The session will seek to address ways that businesses can prepare for the threat of a pandemic outbreak to avoid costly losses to their workforce and industry.
In a March 2007 report titled "Pandemic Flu and the Potential for U.S. Economic Recession: A State-By-State Analysis," the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) examined the potential financial loss the United States could face in the event of pandemic flu. In their report, TFAH projected that the impact of pandemic flu on the workforce would be roughly $310 billion in losses with a projected $250 billion impact in losses on industries.
The impact on companies and employees, if not prepared, will be staggering as businesses are forced to scale down operations or worse, shut their doors, due to employee absenteeism, which is projected to be as high as 40 percent.
Topics of discussion will include:
- What is the extent of the potential impact on U.S. businesses?
- Who should be prepared? Who are "critical employees?" What about the families of employees?
- What are the best products: facemasks, N95 respirators, hand sanitizers, surface disinfectants?
- What policy is in place? Are there government guidelines?
- How do people access products and when? Bulk distribution? Stockpiles?