The Current Situation: A Mutating Virus on the Loose?
	Pandemic Influenza Employee Communication Plan (PDF) The Pandemic Influenza Employee Communication Plan is an example of how an business or agency can plan to communicate internally about pandemic flu. It outlines the timing, strategies, pathways and audiences for King County employee communication over the course of a pandemic.
	An Influenza Pandemic Planning Guide for Homeless and Housing Service Providers
	Guidance for non-health care employers on mask usage in an influenza pandemic
	Guidance for employers on returning to work after influenza illnesses
	Pandemic Influenza Emergency Response Manual written by the King County Human Resources Division.
	Powerpoint Presentations
	Sample pandemic flu information to use at your worksite (PDF) These sample articles are for your use (e.g., in employer newsletters, websites, and other materials). If you would like to customize the articles or need them in another electronic format, please contact Meredith Li-Vollmer at meredith.li-vollmer@kingcounty.gov Pandemic Influenza: Not Your Ordinary Flu Bird Flu vs. Pandemic Flu/Pandemic Flu FAQ Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families How to Care for Someone with Influenza Preventing the Spread of Flu Health Care in a Pandemic: Prepare for a Change 10 Things You Should Know About Pandemic Flu
	Pandemic flu fact sheets in other languages
	More resources
	External links

Influenza viruses are highly unstable and have the ability to mutate rapidly, possibly jumping from one animal species to another. Scientists fear the bird flu virus could evolve into a form that would spread easily between people, resulting in an extremely contagious disease worldwide.

There have been some human infections so far that have been blamed on direct contact with infected chickens and their droppings.  Over 50% of those who have contracted the disease have died.

Potential United States and King County Impacts:

The CDC predicts that that as much as 25% to 30% of the US population could be affected by a pandemic.  Undoubtedly, a pandemic flu would be disruptive and costly to business.  Up to 35% of the workforce could be affected at any given time.  The economic impact in the United States could reach $166.5 billion.

In King County , we could see 1.2 million people infected in the first 6 weeks; 245,000 - 612,000 clinically ill; 180,000 - 470,000 outpatient medical visits; 24,436 – 57,216 people hospitalized, and 600 – 2,700 deaths.

Absenteeism:

Absences from work will depend largely on the age group most affected by the virus.  A quarter or more of the working population may have to take days off work at some stage during the pandemic. In addition to absence due to illness, some workers may need time off to care for family members or may have difficulty getting to work.  Some workers may be in mourning.

Changes in Business Culture:

A person infected with influenza virus can be contagious for 24 hours before the onset of symptoms, and for seven days thereafter, making it extremely easy for the virus to spread rapidly to large numbers of people.

Businesses may consider implementing telecommuting options to reduce the number of employees in the work place, and requiring employees who may be ill or are ill to stay home.

Continuity of Essential Business and Community Services:

A sudden and prolonged reduction in workforce numbers due to the impacts of pandemic flu may require some businesses to prioritize their essential business functions and temporarily suspend others. 

Some business services may be more immediately in demand and necessary for preserving overall economic stability and community well-being, such as services and products that sustain everyday life and support the institutions people will turn to for help in a pandemic.  (For example, grocery stores and banking services, medical supply delivery, etc.)

Movement of People, Goods, and Services:

A flu pandemic will impact all business sectors through the illness itself and the consequences of staff sickness, travel restrictions, reduced transport and deliveries etc.

Social Distancing to Reduce the Spread of Disease:

Strategies for slowing the spread of a severe influenza outbreak could include temporarily closing schools, sports arenas, theaters and other public gathering places and facilities. 

Workforce Education:

Each pandemic is different and the impact on business cannot be fully established until more is known about how a pandemic is evolving. Business can begin now to encourage hygiene practices that may slow or stop the spread of germs.

What happened in the previous pandemics?

See Multimedia section for presentations.

These materials are available in Adobe PDF format. Adobe Reader must be installed on your computer to open PDFs. Download and install Adobe Reader for free.

See also: Preparing for Pandemic Influenza: A personal and family guide
(in other languages by the WA State Dept. of Health)

	Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist:
	Chinese Korean Russian Somali Spanish
	Preventing the Spread of Flu:
	Chinese Korean Russian Somali Spanish
	How to Care for Someone with Flu:
	Chinese Korean Russian Somali Spanish
	Family Health Information:
	Chinese Korean Russian Somali Spanish

Learn more about connecting with the business community for pandemic flu planning.

• Resources referenced at the February 2006 APC Training Conference

• Guidebook for B.C. (Canada) Industry and Commerce (PDF)
  
  
• "It's Not Flu As Usual" (PDF)
  Produced by Trust for America's Health
  
  
• Don't Fear or Panic - An economist's view of pandemic flu (PDF). By BMO Nesbitt Burns Economics