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The outbreak of influenza or other major pandemic is a real potential threat. Businesses need to consider preparing for such a contingency. The possible consequences of a pandemic should not be underestimated. A pandemic would have a major impact on Australia's workplaces, on the economy and on our ability to recover quickly. Impacts could be even more severe, given the global economic downturn.
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease that causes regular flu outbreaks in pigs. A new form of Influenza A (H1N1) virus has been identified in humans in the Mexico, United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Israel and New Zealand. More than 14,000 cases of Influenza A (H1N1) have now been confirmed across Australia.
On 17 June 2009, the Government announced that Australia has developed a new pandemic response phase to manage the outbreak of H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza) called PROTECT.
The new phase recognises that the infection with H1N1 Influenza 09 is not as severe as originally envisaged when the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI) was written in 2008 and that this new disease is mild in most cases, severe in some and moderate overall.
PROTECT sits alongside CONTAIN and SUSTAIN phases with a greater focus on treating and caring for people in whom the disease may be severe.
PROTECT is a measured, reasonable and proportionate health response to the risk that the infection poses to the Australian community. It is consistent with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) move to Pandemic Alert to 6, while accommodating in Australia’s response the knowledge that this disease is moderate in most cases.
The number of confirmed human swine flu cases in Victoria now exceeds 1,500 and the State Government has moved to a modified Sustain Phase of its influenza plan to protect vulnerable people from the H1N1 virus.
Victoria will focus its treatment on members of the community most vulnerable to viral infections, such as the elderly, students at special development schools, hospital patients and people with a chronic illness.
As part of its modified Sustain Phase response, Victoria will: - Give antiviral treatment to those people with human swine flu symptoms, together with their immediate household contacts;
- Require confirmed cases to isolate themselves for three days following the commencement of antiviral treatment, but household contacts will not be required to be quarantined;
- Maintain intensive contact tracing in high risk settings like aged care facilities, hospitals and special schools to protect those at greater risk of severe complications from human swine flu; and
- Implement enhanced community-wide surveillance of influenza-like illness and increased monitoring for virus distribution and any changes in the dominant circulating influenza strain.
- Students with flu-like illness would still go into home quarantine for three days, but schools would no longer be automatically closed if there were confirmed cases across several classes.
Victoria's Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester said the virus continued to be relatively mild in its impact, with the majority of cases being young people aged between five and 18.
Other states and territories will remain in the Contain Phase at this stage.
On June 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6 indicating that the world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic. The WHO said it is the earliest days of the pandemic and the virus is spreading under a close and careful watch. On present evidence, the overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms and make a rapid and full recovery, often in the absence of any form of medical treatment. Guidance on specific protective and precautionary measures has been sent by the WHO to ministries of health in all countries.
From available information, we have drawn together a quick-reference Swine Influenza Fact Sheet. The Fact Sheet provides information regarding transmission, prevention and treatment - you may find it beneficial to share with your employees. You can also contact the Department of Health and Ageing swine influenza information hotline on 180 2007 or Nurse-on-Call on 1300 60 60 24 - for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days).
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is advising Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Mexico at this time because of the outbreak of a severe strain of swine influenza in humans. For further travel advice see Smartraveller - the Australian Government's travel advisory and consular assistance service.
The Australian Government has invested significant resources in preparing for an influenza pandemic and has published information to assist individuals, businesses, communities and health care professionals to prepare for and respond to a flu pandemic. A guide to implementing a business continuity plan has also been developed.
Business continuity planning
Planning could initially comprise a number of activities: - Informing yourself about the risks and monitor developments as they occur;
- Disseminating information to employees about the current situation and risks - employers are in a good position to provide considered advice;
- Underlining the importance of maintaining hygiene in the workplace and effective use of sick leave;
- Establishing a pandemic planning team to develop the corporate policy;
- Determining responsibilities of staff in all parts of the business with regard to a potential outbreak; and
- Developing a phased action plan for the possibility of a pandemic outbreak in Australia and/or in overseas markets.
Pandemic action plan
A pandemic action plan should: - Identify core activities and how they could be sustained in a situation where there is a significant staff shortage - in a crisis it is important to protect what is critical, not what is desirable;
- Establish triggers for the scaling back or suspending of specific operations;
- Include a policy for the issuing of medication to staff;
- Identify procedures for the management of links with suppliers and customers;
- Have clear lines of authority for dealing with a crisis;
- Be customised for different locations/settings;
- Make clear for all managers the actions required at each stage of a pandemic; and
- Consider ways to collaborate with other companies on a regional or sectoral basis.
Ai Group is conducting a Pandemic Seminar - Strategies for your Business on 7 August in Melbourne to equip you with the practical information you need to understand the risks posed by a pandemic and position you to develop strategies for your business.
For regular updates on Swine Influenza visit: For your background information, we have also made available relevant papers from previous Ai Group Pandemic Conferences: More useful websites:
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Swine Influenza
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