With the pandemic flu outbreak of 2009 fresh in our minds, we should all take precautions to prevent or reduce the spread of the flu this season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the seasonal flu costs employers approximately $10.4 billion annually for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults. Both the CDC and OSHA have created resource pages to assist employers.
The CDC’s seasonal flu webpage includes information about the season’s vaccines, vaccination recommendations and disease activity. To help businesses, employers and their employees learn about strategies for preventing flu, the CDC provides a toolkit, flyers, posters and other materials to post and distribute in the workplace.
OSHA’s seasonal flu webpage includes information on how to reduce the spread of the flu in workplaces. It provides information on the basic precautions, such as frequent hand washings and covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Visitors to the page can test their knowledge about the flu through the interactive “Flu I.Q.” quiz produced by the Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Visit the CDC’s page at www.cdc.gov/flu/business/index.htm.
Visit OSHA’s page at www.osha.gov/dts/guidance/flu/index.html.