Pandemic Influenza Task Force Meeting: Media Preparedness Laurice Bentley South Central Health District 2121-B Bellevue Rd Dublin GA South Central Health District

Preparing for a Flu Pandemic What will you do if a large % of your workforce becomes infected? What will you do if a large % of your workforce becomes infected? What impact will a pandemic have on your business and customers? What impact will a pandemic have on your business and customers? What can you do now to prepare for these events? What can you do now to prepare for these events?

Preparedness Goals Develop your strategy before a pandemic strikes Develop your strategy before a pandemic strikes Evaluate/develop policies now to address issues that may arise later Evaluate/develop policies now to address issues that may arise later Become informed about pandemic issues, and track developments Become informed about pandemic issues, and track developments

Business Planning Identify a pandemic coordinator/team Identify a pandemic coordinator/team Identify essential employees/critical inputs Identify essential employees/critical inputs Consider specialized customer needs Consider specialized customer needs Stay informed: Obtain and update reliable pandemic information Stay informed: Obtain and update reliable pandemic information Establish emergency communications plan Establish emergency communications plan Establish continuity of operations plan Establish continuity of operations plan

Business Planning (cont.) Evaluate absence/medical leave policies Evaluate absence/medical leave policies Consider health plan coverage issues Consider health plan coverage issues Consider workplace infection issues Consider workplace infection issues Facilitate access to health care services Facilitate access to health care services Financial/production issues regarding large scale disability claims/absences Financial/production issues regarding large scale disability claims/absences Practice drills: test the response plan Practice drills: test the response plan

Business Interruption Planning Identify key vendors, suppliers and customers Identify key vendors, suppliers and customers Identify/develop key contacts and chains of communication Identify/develop key contacts and chains of communication Anticipate supply/distribution chain interruptions Anticipate supply/distribution chain interruptions Anticipate travel restrictions Anticipate travel restrictions

Absence/Leave Policies Evaluate policies for employee absences, including medical leaves (FMLA and other types of leave) Evaluate policies for employee absences, including medical leaves (FMLA and other types of leave) Leave due to isolation or quarantine Leave due to isolation or quarantine Self-quarantine or “weather emergency days” Self-quarantine or “weather emergency days”

Other Absences Evaluate whether policies contemplate other sorts of absences, including those for: essential health care workers essential health care workers volunteers responding to pandemic volunteers responding to pandemic childcare needs forced by school closings childcare needs forced by school closings lack of public transportation lack of public transportation

Health Plan Coverage Review health plan policies: Coverage for vaccines? Coverage for vaccines? Experimental treatments exclusion Experimental treatments exclusion Consider policy to pay for otherwise- excluded expenses Consider policy to pay for otherwise- excluded expenses

Limiting Infection at Work Develop policies to limit exposure in the workplace Develop policies to limit exposure in the workplace –limit face-to-face contact, meetings –consider flexible schedules/worksite Evaluate other infection control measures Evaluate other infection control measures –hand-washing facilities –other infection control practices

Facilitating Treatment Collaborate with health department and care providers to determine how treatment/vaccine should be offered Collaborate with health department and care providers to determine how treatment/vaccine should be offered Evaluate possibility of providing on-site clinic Evaluate possibility of providing on-site clinic Determine other methods of access, including providing transportation to medical facility Determine other methods of access, including providing transportation to medical facility

Short- and Long-term Disability Issues Anticipate large number of disability claims Anticipate large number of disability claims Prepare for financial impact of mass claims (self-funded programs) Prepare for financial impact of mass claims (self-funded programs) Other employee cash flow needs due to illness/inability to work Other employee cash flow needs due to illness/inability to work

Other Issues for Employer Education of workforce regarding flu issues Education of workforce regarding flu issues –get/stay informed –partner with other businesses/share information Encourage healthy behavior Encourage healthy behavior –stay home if ill (discourage “presenteeism”) –hand-washing, cough etiquette –other forms of infection control

Other Issues for Employer Possible workplace shutdowns Possible workplace shutdowns Transferring work/union issues Transferring work/union issues HIPAA privacy protection for certain medical information HIPAA privacy protection for certain medical information Employee requests for hardship withdrawals/loans from 401k plans Employee requests for hardship withdrawals/loans from 401k plans

Additional Resources Dept of Health and Human Services Dept of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control Centers for Disease Control Georgia Division of Public Health Georgia Division of Public Health