Can Swine Flu turn professional world chaotic?
With flu’s favorite chilly weather fast approaching, get ready for the Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu). Media has been speaking about how bad it can be and looks like 1 in 5 would be affected by swine flu.
Nobody knows what might happen but the better news :
- Even with no vaccine, winter is ending in the Southern Hemisphere without as much havoc as doctors had feared, a heavy season that started early but not an overwhelming one.
- The strain that doctors call the 2009 H1N1 flu isn’t any deadlier than typical winter flu so far. Most people recover without treatment; many become only mildly ill.
- Importantly, careful genetic tracking shows no sign yet that the virus is mutating into a harsher strain.
Only this week do U.S. researchers start blood tests to answer a critical question: How many doses of swine flu vaccine does it take to protect? The answer will determine whether many people need to line up for two flu shots – one against swine flu and one against the regular flu – or three.
As if we have life less complicated, when the vaccine becomes available by mid October, there could be scarcity of vaccines so, there would be preference to – pregnant women, young kid’s and young adults who have breathing problems – over others.
Alright! – What would happen to the professional world?
What if 1 in 5 in critical departments gets sick? Can this drive chaotic?
Typically Corporations have two plans – business continuity plan (BCP) and disaster recovery plan(DR) drafted and tested (mostly dry drills) that is executed when a crisis such as earth-quake or some action of god hits.
Can these plans be executed to avoid chaotic professional world? Depends – It is designed for a situation to avoid losing business except that the assumption here is, personnel who are responsible in executing the above plans should be mindful and healthy to execute the BCP.
You see where this is going?
So, let’s talk about how you can try to avoid getting affected:
- Make sure that it is a policy in your kids school to send sick kids home that shows the symptoms of flu (coughing, sneezing) – No disrespect intended to anyone. Same policy should be instilled within the corporate wall too.
- Take a lot of Vitamin-C and such, that can strengthen your immunity
- As soon as you and kids get home, no matter how tired you/they are, take a shower – Water vapor can help keep the lungs clean while body gets sanitized
- Avoid going to crowded places if you can
- Make sure you wipe your hands with anti-bacterial sanitizer as soon as you come from bathroom or from kitchen or meetings
- If you happen to catch flu, email the team to take leave and most importantly, take the medication within one day, worst two (The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses)
Let’s hope that the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs
