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The United States Government maintains a comprehensive website on pandemic flu at www.pandemicflu.gov, where citizens and anyone else with Internet access can find a wealth of information regarding preparing for a pandemic. Unfortunately, this website is poorly promoted, and is only slightly better known than the Manhattan Project was in 1944.
I check back every few weeks to see if there are any updates, but was clued in by a sharp-eyed flubie named Goju, who posted on PFI, that new guidelines had been released for businesses with overseas operations. These guidelines, updated on January 5th, 2007, can be accessed here.
Released in the form of a checklist, this overview of steps that businesses should be taking in the event of an avian flu pandemic gives some insight into the factors we should all be thinking about.
Officially, these recommendations are for businesses overseas, because, as we all know, really bad things can’t happen here. Still, I encourage my readers to visit this site, and review their recommendations.
I’ve highlighted a few of the notable ones, just to get you started. The checklist is divided into 7 sections, with numerous items under each of these categories. The preface to the checklist follows:
A human influenza pandemic may occur in the future. In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees’ health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. The United States Government has created the following guide to help U.S. businesses with overseas operations prepare and implement pandemic business continuity. This is a list of suggestions and can serve as a starting point for developing a comprehensive plan. The checklist highlights actions applicable to businesses of all sizes, although each item does not necessarily apply to every overseas business. For further information and resources, see www.pandemicflu.gov.
Section 1.1 Plan for maintaining business continuity during and after a pandemic
Here, business owners are encouraged to appoint a pandemic coordinator at every international facility, to identify risks, to set up a pandemic team, and communications network within their organization. They are urged to determine the likely response of local governments to a pandemic and prepare for possible currency devaluations during a crisis.
The list is extensive, and includes identifying key personnel, weak links in their supply chain, and ways to augment their workforce.
Section 1.2 Plan for the impact of a pandemic on the lives and welfare of your employees
In this section, specific recommendations are made regarding employee safety. Among them:
Understand local and national health policies and plans regarding possible quarantines, border closures, airport closures, school closures, and transportation closures.
Forecast and allow for employee absences during a pandemic due to factors such as personal illness, mental health needs, family member illness, community containment measures and quarantines, school and/or business closures, and public transportation closures.
Evaluate need for antiviral medications and plan for access, storage, dispensing by medical personnel, and distribution consistent with local laws and regulations.
Remind employees that normal supply lines may be slowed or inoperable for an extended period of time and to make personal preparations for pandemic for up to 12 weeks (e.g., stockpiling food, water, and prescription drugs).
1.3 Establish policies and guidelines to be implemented during a pandemic to avoid creating policies “on demand” in the midst of a pandemic
Establish a security plan that includes personnel, asset, and infrastructure protection. Prepare for the possibility of social/security breakdown.
Develop and create guidelines for the possible downsizing and evacuation of expatriate employees and families. Guidelines should identify multiple evacuation locations.
1.4 Determine resources required to fulfill actions in your pandemic plan
Maintain sufficient and accessible, infection control supplies (e.g., hand-hygiene products, tissues, receptacles for their disposal, surgical masks, and thermometers) at all business locations based on WHO and CDC recommendations.
1.5 Create an emergency communications system
Disseminate pandemic plan to all employees and stakeholders in advance of a pandemic, including expected roles/actions for employees and other stakeholders during implementation.
Develop 24/7 means (e.g. hotline, dedicated website) for communicating pandemic status updates/actions to employees and service delivery news to vendors and customers.
Develop alternate forms of communication (e.g., cell phones, pagers, and other processes, etc.). Consider the lack of modern communication devices in many developing countries.
1.6 Work to coordinate with external organizations and your community
Coordinate and collaborate with local U.S. Chambers of Commerce or other U.S. business associations.
Collaborate with local and national health officials and emergency responders.
1.7 Prepare for post-pandemic scenarios
Assess ability and criteria that need to be met to resume normal operations and provide notification of activation of the business resumption plan.
Assess availability of medical, mental health, and social services for employees after the pandemic.
Conduct post-pandemic review of response and revise plan as needed.
Prepare for possible follow-on pandemic waves.
As stated, this checklist is designed for businesses with overseas operations. However, most of this information and advice would be well taken by any business any place in the world.
The idea that we here in the United States are somehow immune from the same failures of infrastructure that other countries might experience in a pandemic is both arrogant and unrealistic.
I strongly recommend everyone visit this web page, and take from this list what you can. It may not provide all of the answers you will need, but it’s a good starting point.
Remember. The business you save may be your own.
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