Busienss Continuity Planning for the Impact of H1N1 Virus.

The Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Zsuzsanna Jakab announced that the "Pandemic H1N1 is spreading across Europe". The WHO(World Health Organisation web site is publishing updates and information about the virus as well as ECDC above and almost every European Government Web Site including our own Government Health service the HSE are publishing advice and information for the impact of the Swine Flu Virus.

What are we doing as a Business to prepare?
So its not a case of "if" its "when" will it impact on my business, we should also ask how fast and where are we at risk, along with may other questions. I have written a number of articles around this subject over the past few weeks, and only now are Business Owners in Ireland starting to listen. If you have managed to survive the Recession and you have not put together a plan for the impact of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus you could find your self in a very doing to little to late. Most Irish SME's will not be able to sustain more economic impact on their business and the loss of more business through the impact of the virus may just finish them off.

Can we tell which flu it is ?
Lets get straight to the point, if you scan through the many websites providing factual information on the virus you will quickly see a pattern emerge. H1N1 is in the same family as the normal flu virus that already reeks havoc on our industries each year, it is so alike it is very difficult to tell them apart.

This mean that home misdiagnosis will mean more workers off work, note I didn’t say off sick, because, if a member of their family is suspected of having the virus, it is recommended that they should quarantine themselves, why ? to stop the spread of the virus. You certainly don’t want your staff turning up for work and potentially spreading the virus to other members of staff.

Where and when is it going to start?
Again my review of the information available from the WHO, ECDC and Government sites is that it will coincide with the existing Flu Season from November through to April or the coldest 3 month of the year. It is spread through coughing or sneezing and it can live for a number of hours on door handles, tap handles, phones etc…) so enclosed spaces like Public Transport, Schools, Cinemas, Restaurants, Pub’s, the Office are all areas where it can be transmitted.

What is the impact on my business ?
Medicines, are available to treat it, and they are being produced in volume at the moment, inoculation will also be available but initially it will be for those most at risk. So when it does strike how will your business be effected.

Loss of key staff for periods of up to a week, through Sickness or Quarantine. The same staff may be effected twice, if they contract the flu themselves and again if their children contract the flu and they stay at home to care for them. With young children being effected most with a high possibility of hospitalisation for children under 5 years.

This means a minimum of a week but in some cases two weeks lost. However if schools start to close which is a possibility this will have an impact again on your staff availability.

The solution ?
Here at BCPIreland (Business Continuity Planning Services) we have significant experience in Business Continuity Planning form many clients within the Finance, FMCG and other sectors. We have been looking at the growth in interest in the H1N1 Virus and we have been working through scenarios for many sectors on how to minimize the impact of the Virus through BCP planning when it does hit. We are building a new Web Site specifically for Irish Companies, to access information and updates on the Virus as well as offering advice and consultancy to those who need it.

We will also publish here each week some tips and other advice for your company, while it will be generic it will apply across many industries. If you have questions or advice yourself, this is where we suggest you post it.

Gerry Clancy
BCP Ireland, Planning to Stay in Business !
We have set-up an e-mail address specifically for this article bcpanddrplanning@ymail.com when the site is up we will give you an update.